Marine energy test centre development
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has furthered its ties with Japan having signed a contract to provide advice on the development of a marine energy test facility in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.
EMEC will advise on the infrastructure needed to develop a test site, from subsea cables, and grid connection to resource data instrumentation, as well as the wider infrastructure required in the region to support marine energy deployments.
Oliver Wragg, commercial director at EMEC, said: “Having planned, developed and operated 18 real sea test berths of its own in Orkney, 14 of which are grid-connected, EMEC has overcome many obstacles, and has accumulated a great deal of learning about the do’s and don’ts of marine energy test site development.”
He added that a Japanese test centre has the potential to kick-start the sector in Japan. And that will benefit wave and tidal technologies currently in development as there will be a wider international market for them when they reach commercialisation.
A review of the marine renewables industry will also be undertaken, alongside support in business planning, operational procedures, and health and safety.
The announcement today follows EMEC becoming a member of NaMICPA (the Nagasaki Marine Industry Cluster Promotion Association) earlier in the year, to help support the development of marine renewables in Japan and stimulate further collaboration between the two countries.
EMEC has been building on its ties with Japan since 2012, when the company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ocean Energy Association of Japan (OEAJ) to provide advice and support in the development of a Japan Marine Energy Centre (JMEC).
By Anne-Marie Causer
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