Industry Led Research Group
The Industry Led Research Group (ILRG) was formed in 2008 to articulate the research needs of the Irish wave and tidal energy converter developers and to explore funding mechanisms to address these research needs. The Group was established arising from the identification of an Industry led research capability by the Marine Renewables Industry Association.
The Group initially produced a market analysis of the Marine Renewable Industry. The market analysis described the state of development and commercial potential of Wave and Tidal energy production globally. It also highlighted the excellent energy resources available in Ireland's coastal waters and the Government's targets for Marine Renewable Energy production.
The group have produced a Research Agenda document that is focused on the common Research items required for the support and growth of the sector within Ireland.
This Research Agenda document identifies the research topics of interest to the Industry in Ireland and rates them in order of importance. Suggestions on research topics, evaluation criteria and information on related research activities were provided in writing by the following participating Irish companies:
Airtricity
Cyan Technologies
ESBI
Ocean Energy
Wavebob.
The Group has been in contact with Enterprise Ireland who have expressed their support for the aims of the Group. Enterprise Ireland have recently made a call for proposals under its Commercialisation Fund for 3rd level Research groups to respond to in the context of the Research Agenda document. The setting up of an Industry Led Research Programme or a Competence Centre is also being explored.
International Electrotechnical Committee TC 114
The IEC have established a new committee, TC 114, Marine Energy – Wave and Tidal Energy Converters, to develop International Standards for wave and tidal energy technology that will help establish this promising source of renewable energy as a competitive form of electrical energy production. Dr Ray Alcorn represents MRIA on this committee
Standards that will be developed by the new grouping of experts will cover the performance of tidal and wave energy converters, how these converters will plug into electricity grid systems, and how they should be tested.
The primary focus will be on conversion of wave, tidal and other water current energy into electrical energy, although other conversion methods, systems and products are included. Tidal barrage and dam installations, as covered by TC 4, are excluded.
The standards produced by TC 114 will address:
system definition
performance measurement of wave, tidal and water
current energy converters
resource assessment requirements, design and survivability
safety requirements
power quality
manufacturing and factory testing
evaluation and mitigation of environmental impacts.
There are 19 countries involved in the IEC Committee, 15 of whom are Full Members and 4 of whom are Observers.
Brazil
Canada
China
Denmark
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Korea,
Republic of
Netherlands
New Zealand
Poland
Russian
Federation
Spain
Sweden
Ukraine
United
Kingdom
United
States of America.
As Ireland is a full member of the IEC Committee, it has a National "Mirror" Committee responsible for providing expert comment on the standards as well as feeding into the work programme. The Electro-Technical Council of Ireland Limited (ETCI) established TC18 to mirror the work of TC114 within Ireland. This group is comprised of a number of MRIA members as well as other interested parties.The work is ongoing.
For further information see