Engineering Research Needs & Links to Science OEER/FORCE Tidal Energy Workshop October 14, 2010
Scientific Research to Date FORCE To achieve environmental approval Bathymetry/current data from BIO: External consultants $0.3 million $1.5 million OEER 8 projects to date: $1.2 million FORCE Annual budget (under EMAC) Total $0.3 million $3.3 million
Priorities and Sequence Science had to lead the way Plotted the regulatory approvals chart Instrumental in creating public acceptance to date
Time to Initiate Engineering-related Research Where do we start, whom do we ask? Myself FORCE berth holders University of Edinburgh (SUPERGEN) Ocean Research Energy Group (OREG) Dalhousie University
Soft (or no) Support for: Abrasion/Corrosion protection job for material sciences and offshore energy industry Marine engineering challenges that have already been solved by the offshore energy industry Drive train, gear box and transmission problems that are being addressed by the wind industry Grid interconnection and system integration problems that are being solved by the wind industry
No Support for Generator Blade Design Fundy 1 MW OpenHydro unit 2 (or more) damaged blades - June 2010 Orkney (EMEC) 1 MW Atlantis unit Damaged blades - October 2010 Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland 1.2 MW Marine Current Turbines 2 blades damaged July 2008
Where do we start? - My answer A credible and evolving Bay of Fundy Resource Assessment Model Who needs it? NS Dept. of Energy to set short and long term goals Developers and Supply Chain communities Fishing Industry Aboriginal Community Coastal Communities Investment Community
Resource Assessment Linkages between sciences and engineering Determine what data can be shared appropriately How much energy is extracted by a particular turbine? Extraction rate depends upon a specific device in a specific site Resource Assessments are available for wind and wave, so why not tidal?
Answer from FORCE Berth Holders Cable connectors Bore hole drilling program Fixing to the seafloor Umbilicals Working in tidal race Technology transfer from offshore industry
SUPERGEN s Emphasis Availability of test facilities across the range of scales Moorings and foundations for progressively deeper water Resource: spatial and temporal modelling Resource: device modelling Integrated PTO designs and control Installation and O&M techniques Industry standards & life cycle analysis Design for survivability and yield Electricity network infrastructure and technology Economic appraisal & policy interaction
From the UK s SUPERGEN/Energy Research Centre WS1 WS2 WS3 WS4 WS5 WS6 WS7 WS8 WS9 WS10 WS11 Numerical and physical convergence Optimisation of collector form and response Combined wave and tidal effects Arrays, wakes and near field effects Power take-off and conditioning Moorings and positioning Advanced control and network integration Reliability Economic analysis of variability and penetration Ecological Consequences of Tidal & Wave Energy Conversion Doctoral Training Programme WS12 Internationalisation
Ocean Renewable Energy Group (OREG) Suggestions FORCE creates a focus on the needs to support marine operations FORCE needs to point out that most ocean engineering has focused on offshore, ports and harbours - rarely high current velocity and not often with turbidity problems as well
OREG Focal areas might be: ability to inspect - visual, sonar, etc ability to communicate - do acoustics work in the turbulence and turbidity? tools to extend ability to work in high current arenas - extend operating windows beyond slack periods! Remote tools, specialized ROV applications Service vessels - this is not offshore, minimize drag/work area optimize equipment deployment/retrieval, common practices common generator platform, deployment and retrieval concepts? Wet mate-able connectors and equipment latching to improve deployment/retrieval, replacement and maintenance
Dalhousie Tidal Energy Engineering The Faculty of Engineering at Dalhousie has professors and students with tidal energy research capacity and interest within the following departments: Civil Engineering Electrical Engineering Industrial Engineering Materials Engineering Mechanical Engineering
Dalhousie Tidal Energy Engineering Civil Engineering: Structural analysis and design, structural sensing/monitoring, steel stability, composite structures, finite element modeling. Electrical Engineering: Modeling, analysis, and performance prediction of electrical power conversion systems; computational methods in forecasting and operational optimization of power systems. Industrial Engineering: Manufacturing, production, supply and value chain optimization, quality control, inventory management, and economic analysis. Materials Engineering: Advanced composite materials, simulation using finite element methods, experimental mechanics, vibration-based damage detection, smart materials and sensors, adhesively bonded joints, fracture mechanics. Mechanical Engineering: mechanical design, mechanics of materials, manufacturing and control, and use of computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis for simulation studies.
C-MER Research Program
C-MER Research Program Project 1: Marine Energy Extraction Device and Mooring Protection and Survival Hydrodynamic Models (velocity shear, energy losses) Device Performance Evaluation (scale models) Project 2: Generation and Cabling to Shore Electrical Design Aspects Arrays and Underwater Hubs Project 3: Grid Integration and Utilization Costing Considerations Dynamic Interactions Cross-Cutting Project A: Economics and Life Cycle Cost Reduction Cross-Cutting Project B: Environmental Impact on Marine Habitat
Dalhousie s Summary Arrays, wakes and near field effects Power take-off Moorings and Foundations Novel Control Systems Device Reliability Lifetime Economics Deployment and Extraction International Collaboration (to reduce duplication)
Tidal Feed-in-Tariff Assume Turbine Generator: 2 MW Capital cost: $18 million Capacity Factor: 65% Annual Output: 11,388 MWh FORCE annual berth fees Insurance (1.75% x Capex) O&M (from wind industry) $26/MWh $28/MWh $25/MWh Estimated Tidal Energy Annual Operating Costs $79/MWh
Commercialization (the goal) Wind 35% capacity factor capital cost $2.5 M/MW - $3.0 M/MW energy @ 10 /KWh 14 /KWh Tidal 50 60 % capacity factor capital cost $6 M/MW energy @ 17 /KWh
My Summary #1. Develop a Resource Assessment Who creates it? Where is its home? (Greenberg, Karsten, BIO, NRC Ottawa, etc); Nova Scotia #2. Bore hole program (FORCE) #3. Moorings and Foundations (SUPERGEN) #4. Arrays and Wake effects (SUPERGEN) #5. Systems Reliability (SUPERGEN) #6. Ability to Inspect (visual, acoustic, sonar) (OREG) #7. Infrastructure Survival and Protection (Dalhousie) #8. Cooperate Internationally
Thank You