SELKIE is a cross-border project which is bringing together leading researchers and businesses to improve the performance of marine energy devices and technologies. University College Cork are leading the project in partnership with Marine Energy Wales, Menter Môn, Swansea University, DP Energy Ireland and Gavin and Doherty Geosolutions. The project is funded by the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Cooperation programme.
The waves and tides around Ireland and Wales could provide significant low carbon energy. Local companies that build devices to harness this natural resource are already creating jobs and exporting around the world. However, a barrier to development is lack of funding for R&D and pilot demonstration at sea. Another barrier is a lack of common procedures and components (seabed anchors for example), with many technology companies repeating activity in slightly different ways. Therefore, the aims of the project are to:
- Establish a cross-border network of Ocean Energy SMEs and supply chain companies;
- Conduct industry-academic collaborative R&D projects;
- Transfer R&D knowledge to wave and tidal industry/SME stakeholders, thereby advancing the technology sector as a whole;
- Assist Irish and Welsh SMEs to progress along the path to commercialisation.
Selkie will achieve these aims by developing shared multi-use engineering tools, templates, standards and models, which can be used across the sector in both Wales and Ireland. These include:
- Techno-economic Models
- Foundations and Mooring Design
- Physical and Numerical Array Modelling
- Sensor Optimisation and Data Analysis
- Operations and Maintenance (O&M) and Logistics Models
Selkie will test and validate the technology tools on two pilot demonstration technologies: one wave and one tidal (chosen via open tender). Using a structured development path, the pilot testing will advance the knowledge and improvement of marine energy devices in terms of their reliability, survivability, operability, stability and commercial viability.
Invitation to tender
The Selkie Project is inviting tidal energy developer companies to tender their services to validate the tools developed during the project.
The pilot projects will have three stages:
- The selected companies will work alongside the Selkie team to ensure the Selkie tools are fit for purpose and then to use the tools in application to the pilot project.
- The pilot company will undertake trials that are necessary to validate the Selkie tools (within the allocated timescale and budget).
- There will be a period of post pilot data analysis and review, to show how the pilot device was performing and to establish the potential of the tools to progress the industry.
Further information and details for application are here: SELKIE Invitation to Quote for Tidal Energy development company
The deadline for application is 12pm on 1st April 2020. Quotes should be submitted by email to Angharad Marshall-Smith at a.marshall-smith@swansea.ac.uk