UK groups set to benefit from €9m EU marine renewables fund

A European Union cash boost for marine renewable energy is set to remove financial barriers to enable wider use of testing sites such as those at Plymouth University.

The new €9m EU initiative will open access to 42 testing facilities at 28 research centres in 12 countries from the UK to Belgium and Denmark to Spain.

The aim is to link the sites using an agreed testing framework, providing a clear path to commercialisation so that clients can seamlessly progress their device through each phase of testing.

The University, in partnership with other UK institutions, form ‘MaRINET’ (Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network), and they will offer periods of use of their sites at no cost to participants through the new scheme.

MaRINET supports research into wave energy, tidal energy, offshore-wind energy and the environment, to accelerate Europe-wide development of marine renewable energy.

Plymouth University is offering its high frequency (HF) radar testing facilities in North Cornwall, and once its £19m marine facility has been opened on the campus, it will be able to offer wave and current testing as well. It is anticipated a number of European companies and research groups will apply to use them.

Plymouth University Professor Deborah Greaves said: ‘‘MaRINET offers a unique opportunity to access world-class European test facilities in order to validate and progress concepts at any stage of development, and to ultimately harness the untapped renewable energy resources that are abundant around the European coastline. This is a great opportunity to advance marine renewable research testing and commercial development for both UK and European companies and research groups.”

The other UK organisations in the MaRINET collaboration include NaREC, EMEC, the University of Exeter, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Strathclyde and Queen’s University Belfast.

There will be a series of opportunities up until 2015 for potential users to apply to the fund to use the listed sites, with the first round closing on 29 February next year.

Visit www.fp7-marinet.eu.

ENDS