• Energy Research

The oceans and seas, covering more than two-thirds of the Earth, represent an enormous energy resource containing vastly more energy than the human race could possibly use. In four days they absorb an amount of thermal and kinetic energy that is equivalent to all the world's known oil reserves. The energy is partly stored as kinetic energy from the motion of waves and currents and partly as thermal energy from the Sun. As the ultimate source of energy is the Sun, marine energy is renewable, providing relatively clean energy when compared to conventional sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas. The main marine energy resources can be summarised, in order of maturity and use, as follows: tidal energy, wave energy, tidal/marine currents, ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), salinity gradient/osmotic energy, and marine biomass fuels. Ocean and sea energy is one of the most promising new renewable energy sources and is deserving of further investment. Furthermore, the know-how is now available to combine existing technologies to utilize marine energy for power generation. The paper will present the worldwide potential of marine energy, technologies for its exploitation, as well as examples of existing devices and plants. Special attention in the paper will be devoted to the potential assessment of the marine energy of the Adriatic Sea in the Republic of Croatia, as well as the possibilities of its exploitation.

Geo-Marine, Inc. (GMI) conducted an offshore avian radar baseline study for Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) for a wave energy study located northwest of Reedsport, Oregon from 25 August through 29 October 2010. The study was conducted from shore with GMI’s Mobile Avian Radar System (MARS®). The MARS® was equipped with a 3-centimeter (cm) wavelength 50-kilowatt (kW) radar with a 2.5-degree (°) parabolic antenna for horizontal scanning, and a 3-cm, 25-kW radar with an open array antenna for vertical scanning. Diurnal land-based nearshore and diurnal and nocturnal boat-based radar validation surveys were conducted specifically to determine whether the radar could detect birds flying at low attitudes above the water. Comparison between the nearshore and offshore (study area) observer bird passage rates and the nearshore and offshore radar passage rates revealed low correlation between diurnal observations and radar data. The correlation analysis values were all too low (<.307) to develop a correction factor to apply to the radar data. Sea clutter was identified as the limiting factor. When algorithms to reduce false tracks from sea clutter were applied, tracks of real birds were eliminated because they could not be separated from sea clutter false tracks. At present there is no technology known that can accurately remove bird detections from sea clutter. This problem was further magnified in this study because radar visual validation surveys revealed that a major portion of the bird movement both nearshore and offshore occurred at altitudes from 1-30 feet (ft) above sea level. At that altitude it is impossible to separate birds from wind-driven waves and high swells that are common in the study area during fall. The visual validation data documented that the radar was ineffective when birds were flying close to the surface. In addition to providing data to facilitate passage rate comparisons between observer and the radar, the radar validation surveys provided data on bird flight behaviors within and adjacent to ...

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2017-09 ; Instream tidal energy is a form of renewable energy that is at an early stage of development compared to other forms of energy generation. A comparative multiple-case study was conducted to evaluate stakeholder group perceived concerns and benefits about the siting of commercial instream tidal energy projects. Based on their history of experience with instream tidal energy and their dissimilarity of population and grid connectivity Puget Sound, Washington State and Igiugig, Alaska were chosen. Interviews were conducted with key stakeholders in both locations to understand perceptions of project development. Perceived concerns and benefits were ranked; interviews were transcribed and coded to extract themes about project development. Providing local renewable energy, advancing science and technology, and environmental awareness were some of the top perceived benefits of the technology, while negative environmental impacts, conflicts with other uses, and unintended consequences were some of the top perceived concerns of the technology. The two locations varied in the type, number, and complexities of stakeholders involved in project development. Support or opposition about a project was justified by promoting the wellbeing of the affected stakeholders. There was overall more support in smaller communities isolated from municipal power sources, that had a demonstrated need for energy.

Part of the Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC) is the optional Build and Test Challenge where teams are encouraged to build a portion of their proposed solution. After the conducted testing the laboratory results are compared to the simulated and calculated models. For the MECC the University of New Hampshire (UNH) team decided to use a wave energy converter to produce pressurized water. The pressurized water would be filtered through a reverse osmosis membrane to make it potable. Our system uses the power of the ocean waves to move a float up and down in heave motion. This motion drives a piston in a piston chamber. The piston and piston chamber are two separate buoys that work together to create the pressurized water. The relative motion between the piston float and the piston chamber float creates pressurized water for the reverse osmosis membrane. Our team decided to reproduce our system at a 1/8 scale and test it in the UNH wave tank in the Jere A. Chase Ocean Engineering Lab. The UNH wave tank can produce waves at specific periods and wave heights which allows testing of the device at scaled down wave heights and periods using Froude scaling.

For the analyzed LNG carrier with Rankine regenerative feed water cycle, energy analysis is presented. The intention was to determine auxiliary flow streams from the useful ones. Auxiliary energy flow supports plant operation on the one side, but reduces overall efficiency on the other. Steam generators energy streams are divided into two major groups, for the main and auxiliary stream consumers. The steam system test was performed by varying main propulsion shaft revolutions. The required thermodynamic data are collected at various steam system locations. For considered plant energy flow streams components are explained and analyzed. In this paper the recommendations for possible energy savings for the mentioned propulsion plant are proposed.

Operational data collected during tests of the Remote River Energy System (RRES) device previously described in 10.1680/jener.21.00101 with data made available at 10.5281/zenodo.8082024 This was the first tidal energy test carried out at the new Marine Energy Test Area in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK, achieving Technology Readiness Level 5. Data consists of snapshots from the onboard OpenPLC based control system, with channels described in the included PDF file. Files are named by date and run number - YYYYMMDD-RR.csv.gz This work was supported by the MEECE project funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the UK \& Welsh governments through the Swansea Bay City Deal.

Poem based on ethnographic research with people and places around the European Marine Energy Centre, the world's longest running test site for wave and tide energy, Orkney islands, Scotland.

Summarization: Worldwide concern about air quality and global warming has led to emission regulations for the shipping industry. Thus, new ship buildings are subject to efficiency certificates upon their commissioning, where, though efficiency is interpreted into environmental footprint. In this paper it is shown that components of ship electric energy systems having a significant impact on the entire vessel efficiency can be improved in terms of their own efficiency e.g. reducing their losses. Παρουσιάστηκε στο: 22nd International Conference on Electrical Machines

A report summarizing permitting and regulatory information presented to the Cook Inlet Tidal Energy Working Group and providing author recommendations of paths forward to support development of the tidal energy resource in Cook Inlet specifically, and renewable resources in Alaska generally.

To date, academic research relating to Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) has largely focused on resource assessment, technical viability and environmental impact. Experiences from onshore renewable energy tell us that social acceptability is equally critical to project success. However, the specific nature of the marine environment, patterns of resource distribution and governance means experiences from onshore may not be directly applicable to MRE and the marine environment. This paper sets out an agenda for social studies research linked to MRE, identifying key topics for future research: (i) economic impacts; (ii) wealth distribution and community benefits; (iii) communication and knowledge flow; (iv) consultation processes; (v) dealing with uncertainty; (vi) public attitudes; and (vii) planning processes. This agenda is based on the findings of the first workshop of ISSMER, an international research network of social scientists with interests in marine renewable energy. Importantly, this research agenda has been informed by the experiences of developers, regulators and community groups in Orkney. The Orkney archipelago, off the north coast of Scotland, is home to the most intense cluster of MRE research, development and deployment activity in the world today.