Durability of Polymers and Composites: The Key to Reliable Marine Renewable Energy Production

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Davies ◽  
Pierre-Yves Le Gac ◽  
Maelenn Le Gall ◽  
Mael Arhant ◽  
Corentin Humeau
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Fatigue Tests ◽  
Synthetic Fiber ◽  
Marine Renewable Energy ◽  
Tidal Turbines ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Influence Of Water ◽  
Tidal Turbine ◽  
Significant Cost Reduction

Recovery of marine energy is progressing from the prototype stage to arrays, and all of the systems currently being developed include critical elements manufactured from polymers and composites. Structural MRE (Marine Renewable Energy) components range from composite turbine blades, for floating wind and tidal turbines, to polymer fiber ropes for wave, tidal and floating wind mooring systems. Elastomeric components are also widely used for sealing and protection. In all cases it is essential to understand how seawater diffuses into these polymers and how it affects mechanical properties; this allows appropriate safety factors to be applied without excessive over-conservative design, and can result in significant cost reduction. This paper will present a methodology for evaluating the long term behavior of such components based on accelerated testing. Three examples will be shown to illustrate the approach; tidal turbine blade composites, synthetic fiber rope moorings, and rubber components. In each case the seawater diffusion kinetics will be described first, then the influence of water on mechanical behavior will be quantified for the particular loadings of interest, and finally results from fully coupled fatigue tests in seawater will be discussed.

A French Application Case of Tidal Turbine Certification

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphane Paboeuf ◽  
Laura-Mae Macadré ◽  
Pascal Yen Kai Sun
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Water Current ◽  
Support Structure ◽  
Design Assessment ◽  
Certification Scheme ◽  
Tidal Turbines ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Certification Procedure ◽  
Tidal Turbine

Tidal turbines are emerging technologies offering great potential for the harnessing of a renewable and predictable oceanic resource. However, exploitation at sea comes with significant design, installation, grid connection, and maintenance operations challenges. Consequently, guidelines and standards are required to ensure safety, quality, performance and accelerate tidal turbines development and commercialisation. Standardisation is also a necessity to support and improve safety and confidence of a wide range of Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) stakeholders such as designers, project operators, investors, insurers or final users. There are undergoing developments on guidelines, standards and certification systems within the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee TC 114 “Marine energy - Wave, tidal and other water current converters” and the IEC Renewable Energy “Marine Energy - Operational Management Committee” (IECRE ME – OMC). However, as the tidal energy concepts are only at the demonstration stage, only few guidelines and no dedicated certification scheme has been published so far within this organization, which guarantee an international, independent, non-governmental and consensus-based elaboration process. The aim of this paper is to present a proposal of certification methodology, developed by Bureau Veritas for the design assessment of current and tidal turbines, and its application to a French case study. This certification procedure was developed within the French research project Sabella D10 funded by ADEME and is published in the Bureau Veritas guideline NI603 “Current & Tidal Turbines”. The suggested certification procedure addresses prototype, component, type and project certification. Main objective, scope, intermediary steps to be completed and resulting certificates will be detailed for each certification scheme, as well as their interactions. This methodology will be illustrated by the case study on the Sabella D10 prototype, a French tidal turbine installed in 2015 in the Fromveur Passage, off Ushant Island. Sabella D10 is a 1 MW tidal turbine fully submerged laid on the seabed with a horizontal axis and 6 blades. It is the first French tidal turbine producing electricity and connected to the electrical network. The Sabella D10 case study will focus on prototype certification and computations performed for support structure and blades. The paper will describe the load cases that have been considered, the review procedure for the support structure and the blades design assessment, including description of a streamlined method for basic design and a detailed method for final design. In conclusion, the next steps will be introduced to continue the certification developments of tidal and current turbines.

scholarly journals A Decision Support Tool for Long-Term Planning of Marine Operations in Ocean Energy Projects

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 810
Author(s):  
Francisco X. Correia da Fonseca ◽  
Luís Amaral ◽  
Paulo Chainho
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Decision Support ◽  
Decision Support Tool ◽  
Ocean Energy ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Marine Renewable Energy ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Selection Algorithms ◽  
Maritime Infrastructure

Ocean energy is a relevant source of clean renewable energy, and as it is still facing challenges related to its above grid-parity costs, tariffs intended to support in a structured and coherent way are of great relevance and potential impact. The logistics and marine operations required for installing and maintaining these systems are major cost drivers of marine renewable energy projects. Planning the logistics of marine energy projects is a highly complex and intertwined process, and to date, limited advances have been made in the development of decision support tools suitable for ocean energy farm design. The present paper describes the methodology of a novel, opensource, logistic and marine operation planning tool, integrated within DTOceanPlus suite of design tools, and responsible for producing logistic solutions comprised of optimal selections of vessels, port terminals, equipment, as well as operation plans, for ocean energy projects. Infrastructure selection logistic functions were developed to select vessels, ports, and equipment for specific projects. A statistical weather window model was developed to estimate operation delays due to weather. A vessel charter rate modeling approach, based on an in-house vessel database and industry experience, is described in detail. The overall operation assumptions and underlying operating principles of the statistical weather window model, maritime infrastructure selection algorithms, and cost modeling strategies are presented. Tests performed for a case study based a theoretical floating wave energy converter produced results in good agreement with reality.

scholarly journals The Permitting, Licensing and Environmental Compliance Process: Lessons and Experiences within U.S. Marine Renewable Energy

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 5048
Author(s):  
Zachary Barr ◽  
Jesse Roberts ◽  
William Peplinski ◽  
Anna West ◽  
Sharon Kramer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Marine Renewable Energy ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Practical Experiences ◽  
Permitting Process ◽  
The U.S

The marine renewable energy (MRE; renewable energy captured from waves, tides, ocean currents, the natural flow of water in rivers, and marine thermal gradients, without building new dams or diversions) industry has a vital role in the U.S. clean energy strategy as we progress to meet U.S. electricity and blue economy needs with renewable, domestic energy sources. However, a thorough assessment of the U.S. marine energy permitting process from the viewpoints of both developers that propose projects and regulators that permit them has not been performed. Sharing practical experiences in this new industry is vital to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the permitting process, identify data and information gaps, develop lessons learned, and advance the industry. This paper is a case study of qualitative findings, lessons learned, and recommendations from guided discussions, workshops, and webinars with both marine renewable energy developers and state and federal regulators that have experience in the permitting process in the U.S.

scholarly journals Potential Environmental Effects of Marine Renewable Energy Development—The State of the Science

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 879
Author(s):  
Andrea E. Copping ◽  
Lenaïg G. Hemery ◽  
Dorian M. Overhus ◽  
Lysel Garavelli ◽  
Mikaela C. Freeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Electromagnetic Fields ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Underwater Noise ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Mooring Lines ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Marine Renewable Energy

Marine renewable energy (MRE) harnesses energy from the ocean and provides a low-carbon sustainable energy source for national grids and remote uses. The international MRE industry is in the early stages of development, focused largely on tidal and riverine turbines, and wave energy converters (WECs), to harness energy from tides, rivers, and waves, respectively. Although MRE supports climate change mitigation, there are concerns that MRE devices and systems could affect portions of the marine and river environments. The greatest concern for tidal and river turbines is the potential for animals to be injured or killed by collision with rotating blades. Other risks associated with MRE device operation include the potential for turbines and WECs to cause disruption from underwater noise emissions, generation of electromagnetic fields, changes in benthic and pelagic habitats, changes in oceanographic processes, and entanglement of large marine animals. The accumulated knowledge of interactions of MRE devices with animals and habitats to date is summarized here, along with a discussion of preferred management methods for encouraging MRE development in an environmentally responsible manner. As there are few devices in the water, understanding is gained largely from examining one to three MRE devices. This information indicates that there will be no significant effects on marine animals and habitats due to underwater noise from MRE devices or emissions of electromagnetic fields from cables, nor changes in benthic and pelagic habitats, or oceanographic systems. Ongoing research to understand potential collision risk of animals with turbine blades still shows significant uncertainty. There has been no significant field research undertaken on entanglement of large animals with mooring lines and cables associated with MRE devices.

scholarly journals Detection of Visual Signatures of Marine Mammals and Fish within Marine Renewable Energy Farms using Multibeam Imaging Sonar

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Francisco ◽  
Jan Sundberg
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Marine Renewable Energy ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Acoustic Images ◽  
Sonar Systems ◽  
Sonar Images ◽  
Imaging Sonar

Techniques for marine monitoring have been greatly evolved over the past decades, making the acquisition of environmental data safer, more reliable and more efficient. On the other hand, the marine renewable energy sector has introduced dissimilar ways of exploring the oceans. Marine energy is mostly harvested in murky and high energetic places where conventional data acquisition techniques are impractical. This new frontier on marine operations brings the need for finding new techniques for environmental data acquisition, processing and analysis. Modern sonar systems, operating at high frequencies, can acquire detailed images of the underwater environment. Variables such as occurrence, size, class and behavior of a variety of aquatic species of fish, birds, and mammals that coexist within marine energy sites can be monitored using imaging sonar systems. Although sonar images can provide high levels of detail, in most of the cases they are still difficult to decipher. In order to facilitate the classification of targets using sonar images, this study introduces a framework of extracting visual features of marine animals that would serve as unique signatures. The acoustic visibility measure (AVM) is here introduced as technique of identification and classification of targets by comparing the observed size with a standard value. This information can be used to instruct algorithms and protocols in order to automate the identification and classification of underwater targets using imaging sonar systems. Using image processing algorithms embedded in Proviwer4 and FIJI software, this study found that acoustic images can be effectively used to classify cod, harbour and grey seals, and orcas through their size, shape and swimming behavior. The sonar images showed that cod occurred as bright, 0.9 m long, ellipsoidal targets shoaling in groups. Harbour seals occurred as bright torpedo-like fast moving targets, whereas grey seals occurred as bulky-ellipsoidal targets with serpentine movements. Orca or larger marine mammals occurred with relatively low visibility on the acoustic images compared to their body size, which measured between 4 m and 7 m. This framework provide a new window of performing qualitative and quantitative observations of underwater targets, and with further improvements, this method can be useful for environmental studies within marine renewable energy farms and for other purposes.

Assessment of Zooplankton Injury and Mortality Associated With Underwater Turbines for Tidal Energy Production

2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 142-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Schlezinger ◽  
Craig D. Taylor ◽  
Brian L. Howes
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Particle Density ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Tidal Energy ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Marine Renewable Energy ◽  
Tidal Turbines ◽  
Video Images ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Tidal Turbine

AbstractCollaborative work between the UMASS-Marine Renewable Energy Center, the Town of Edgartown, and the Coastal Systems Program is focused on developing the tidal energy potential of Muskeget Channel. We have undertaken detailed oceanographic and environmental surveys to optimize in-stream turbine power generation and to quantify potential environmental effects. In 2011 and 2012, tidal turbine demonstration projects were conducted in Muskeget Channel to determine the combined effects of blade strikes, shear stress, turbulence, and cavitation on zooplankton. Single turbines may minimally impact zooplankton populations; however, full-scale projects may potentially alter zooplankton populations forming the base of coastal food webs. Static plankton tows were performed up- and downstream of the operating turbine axis. Integral flow meters allowed adjustment of tow duration to optimize zooplankton density in the concentrate. Samples were held at in situ temperatures, and sequential photomicrographs and video images were taken to determine particle density, size distribution, and the number of live organisms in samples taken up and down gradient of the operating tidal turbines within 3 h of collection. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in the total number or size distribution of motile zooplankters, indicating tidal turbine operation did not cause significant mortality and suggested that impacts of commercial size tidal energy projects upon zooplankton populations in Muskeget Channel may be negligible.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the durability of composite tidal turbine blades

2013 ◽  
Vol 371 (1985) ◽  
pp. 20120187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Davies ◽  
Grégory Germain ◽  
Benoît Gaurier ◽  
Amélie Boisseau ◽  
Dominique Perreux
Keyword(s):  
Sea Water ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Optimized Design ◽  
Tidal Turbines ◽  
Natural Choice ◽  
Tidal Turbine ◽  
Few Data

The long-term reliability of tidal turbines is critical if these structures are to be cost effective. Optimized design requires a combination of material durability models and structural analyses. Composites are a natural choice for turbine blades, but there are few data available to predict material behaviour under coupled environmental and cycling loading. The present study addresses this problem, by introducing a multi-level framework for turbine blade qualification. At the material scale, static and cyclic tests have been performed, both in air and in sea water. The influence of ageing in sea water on fatigue performance is then quantified, and much lower fatigue lives are measured after ageing. At a higher level, flume tank tests have been performed on three-blade tidal turbines. Strain gauging of blades has provided data to compare with numerical models.

scholarly journals Applying Two Active Acoustic Technologies to Document Presence of Large Marine Animal Targets at a Marine Renewable Energy Site

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 704
Author(s):  
Garrett Staines ◽  
Gayle Barbin Zydlewski ◽  
Haley A. Viehman ◽  
Rachel Kocik
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Marine Animal ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Marine Renewable Energy ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Tidal Turbine ◽  
Device Deployment ◽  
Acoustic Technologies ◽  
Passive Acoustic

Coastal regions are highly used by humans. The growing marine renewable energy (MRE) industry will add to existing anthropogenic pressures in these regions. Regulatory bodies require animal risk assessment before new industrial activities can progress, and MRE is no exception. Preliminary data of marine mammal use of an MRE device deployment location could be informative to permitting. A combination of downlooking hydroacoustics using an echosounder and acoustic camera (imaging sonar) was used to provide a number of large targets (proxy for large fish and marine mammals) in an area of interest for MRE tidal turbine deployment in Western Passage, Maine, USA. Data were collected in May, June, August, and September of 2010 and 2011. Of the nine large targets confirmed to be animals, eight were porpoises and one was a shark. Few large targets were observed in May and June, with the majority (90%) being present in August and September of both years. The most large targets were observed when tidal current speed was less than 1 m·s−1. These data provide a preliminary assessment of large targets in a single location over sixteen 24-h surveys. The aforementioned methodology could be used for future pre- and post-installation assessments at MRE device deployment locations. Their use in concert with visual and passive acoustic monitoring can provide water depth usage by marine mammals, which is a metric that is difficult to assess with passive acoustic and visual techniques.

scholarly journals Dynamics of a Dual Offshore Renewable Energy System: Analysis of Wind and Tidal Turbine

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
T M Al Hajeri
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Maximum Energy ◽  
Energy Yield ◽  
Tidal Turbines ◽  
Energy System Analysis ◽  
Tidal Turbine ◽  
Wave Heights

Offshore renewable energy has been showing remarkable growth and acceptable yields over recent years, the concept of this study centres on the idea of connecting a wind turbine to a tidal turbine, where both energy sources may be utilised at any one location for maximum energy yield. AutoCAD and MATHCAD have been used to simulate the aerodynamics and hydrodynamics of the structure. The power generation and risk analysis were also accounted for. The result of a wave spectral analysis effect on tidal turbines is demonstrated in the study for 6 different cases at different mean crossing period, wave heights, and fatigue life. The power generation of 2 bladed wind/tidal turbine versus 3 bladed was calculated. Although 3 bladed turbines have a marginal higher power generation output, this does not reflect the feasibility of the extra percentages of power on the economics.

scholarly journals (Re-)Introducing the IMEJ

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. i
Author(s):  
AbuBakr S. Bahaj
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Marine Renewable Energy ◽  
Marine Energy ◽  
Energy Community

Two years ago we launched the International Marine Energy Journal (IMEJ) in response to requests and encouragement from the marine renewable energy community to create a journal dedicated to our field of research. Four issues later and I can say that this has been a rewarding and challenging process.

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