Introduction
This page provides an inventory of Marine Renewable Energy relevant facilities and test sites in South West England and in Brittany and Pays de la Loire (France) . For each facility, you can find technical information, location, website link and contact point.
For further information about marine energy test facilities in general, and for access opportunities, visit MARINET (Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network).
Ocean Wave Basin, COAST Lab, Plymouth
Location: Plymouth University, Coastal, Ocean and Sediment Transport Laboratory (COAST)
Website: www.plymouth.ac.uk/coast
Main Feature : 35 m long x 15.5 m wide x 3 m deep, operable at different depths and incorporating 2.0 m hinge depth wavemakers and recirculating current both inline and across the waves
The Ocean Basin is a unique facility that allows waves and currents to be generated at any relative orientation and can be run at different water depths. This basin can be used to create unidirectional and directional wave fields, regular waves, wave spectra and currents in three dimensions. Future developments of the facility include the provision of wind generation in two directions.
Coordinates: 50.375549,-4.138523
Coastal Basin, COAST Lab, Plymouth
Location: Plymouth University, Coastal, Ocean and Sediment Transport Laboratory (COAST)
Website: www.plymouth.ac.uk/coast
Main Feature: 15 m long x 10 m wide x 0.5m deep, incorporating moveable modular piston wavemakers and recirculating current
The Coastal Basin allows sediment transport, coastal processes and coastal engineering solutions to be studied in a controlled environment. Optimisation of coastal structures is a key element of the engineering design process. The Coastal Basin provides the ability to examine structural response under combined wave and current forcing.
Coordinates: 50.375549,-4.138523
Sediment Wave Plume, COAST Lab, Plymouth
Location: Plymouth University, Coastal, Ocean and Sediment Transport Laboratory (COAST)
Website: www.plymouth.ac.uk/coast
Main Feature: 35 m long x 0.6 m wide x 0.8 m deep
The Sediment Wave Flume allows the interaction of waves, current and sediment dynamics to be studied. The inclusion of current circulation in the facility allows tidal energy as well as wave energy technology to be investigated. The novel current circulation technology enables a smooth current to be modelled without disturbing the wave signal, this enables the controlled study of wave-current interaction and wave-current-device interaction.
Coordinates: 50.375549,-4.138523
DMaC (Dynamic Marine Component test), Falmouth
Location: A&P Falmouth, Building 420, Falmouth, TR11 4NR
Website: DMaC website
Main Feature: To be able to replicate the motion characteristics and loadings experienced by MEC components, or sub component, the test rig will provide a one degree linear motion that can be used to replicate a pulling and pushing force representative of dynamic loadings, pre-loadings, etc. (termed the Z actuator in the tailstock position), and a headstock with three degrees of freedom (namely pitch, roll and yaw) representative of x- and y-bending or torsion. The DMaC test rig will have a unique feature that is relevant to the testing of components for marine renewable energy devices, allowing to immerse components in fresh water and the dynamic testing in a wet environment. These features will allow a dynamic testing of components in large scale under controlled environment applying realistic motion characteristics.
Contact: Mr Andrew Vickers, DMaC Manager –
South West Mooring Test Facility, Falmouth
Location: Falmouth Bay, Cornwall, UK
Website: emps.exeter.ac.uk/renewable-energy…
Main Feature: South West Mooring Test Facility (SWMTF) is located in Falmouth Bay, Cornwall, UK, near the Manacles rocks, just south of the mouth of the Helford River. The buoy is fully equipped with load cells, motion sensors and other instrumentation to test a variety of catenary and taut mooring arrangements. It will transmit data directly to the shore and will allow, for the first time, comprehensive evaluation of mooring systems under real sea conditions. Installation and survey support will be provided. The specification of the facility are as follows:
– Water depth: 27m
– Tidal variation: 5.4m
– Significant wave height: 3.5m
– Surface current: 0.8m/s
Principle hardware for the mooring test facility includes (a) Environmental monitoring instrumentation, (b) Response and loading instrumentation and (c) Data acquisition/radio communication
Contact: Mr Lars Johanning –
Marine Resource Assessment, Falmouth
Location: Falmouth, Cornwall, UK
Website: emps.exeter.ac.uk/renewable-energy/research/research-interests/offshore/resource-assessment
Main Feature: Measurements are taken from both directional wave buoys and ADCPs, and research is underway quantifying the relative accuracy of these sensors and establishing their operational suitability for wave energy applications. Research also contributes to establishing best practice for operational procedures for wave energy sites, and group members contributes to the ongoing process of developing standards for this industry.
Contact:
MOR Group (Marine Offshore Renewables)
Website: www.morenewables.co.uk
Main Feature: The MOR (Marine Offshore Renewables Group) is a network of established market leading companies working, delivering and providing outstanding solutions for the marine renewable energy industry.
Contact:
Wave Hub, Hayle
Location: Hayle, UK
Website: www.wavehub.co.uk
Main Feature: The project is developed by the South West of England Regional Development Agency. A total of four wave device developers will connect their arrays into the Wave Hub. This will allow the developers to transmit and sell their renewable electricity to the UK’s electricity distribution grid. Each developer will be able to locate their devices in one quarter of the 3 by 1 kilometres (1.9 by 0.62 mi) rectangle allocated to the Wave Hub. A sub-sea transformer will be provided with capacity to deliver up to a total of 20 MW of power into the local distribution network.
Contact:
FaB (Falmouth Bay test facility)
Location: Falmouth Bay some 4.5 km from Falmouth Harbour Entrance
Website: www.wavehub.co.uk/information-for-developers /falmouth-bay-test-site-fabtest/
Main Feature: FAB Test site is able to receive:
Eligible devices(No single device is permitted to have a potential generating output in excess of 3MW) as follow :
– A substantially buoy shape device
– A substantially box shape device
– A platform type device
– A substantially tubular shaped device
The allowable size of an eligible device is variable but indicative maximum sizes are given as:
– 30 m diameter for a buoy form
– 30 m x 30 m (or equivalent area in plan) for a box form
– 35 m x 35 m (or equivalent area in plan) for a platform
– 180 m long for a tubular form.
Eligible Seabed Anchors / Mooring Systems
Seabed anchors will be drag embedment or gravity anchors. Gravity anchors will be of steel, iron or concrete construction. Any loose ballast included within a gravity anchor (e.g. sand gravel etc) will be sealed so that no exchange with seawater is possible. Piled, rock bolted and suction anchors are not permitted at the test site. The indicative maximum number of mooring limbs for a box shaped device is twelve.
Communications
Whilst data and command communications are possible via dedicated telemetry links to Falmouth and via satellite, it is notable that a good UMTS service with HSDPA / HSUPA is available at the test site. A survey of the site using a spectrum analyser showed that three service providers, Three, Orange and T Mobile had good signal strength. Figure 8 shows a typical scan trace showing received signal strengths (isotropic antenna) of useable 3G signal found on the day of the survey (30/06/2011)
Contact:
Advanced Composites Centre, Bristol
Location: University of Bristol, Queen’s Building, Bristol BS8 1TR, United Kingdom
Website: www.bristol.ac.uk/composites/
Main Feature: Advanced composites provide unique opportunities to create structural materials with added functionality e.g. for sensing, or self-repair, and new material architectures incorporating novel fibres and nanomaterials. At the heart of the vision for innovation in advanced composites is the provision of first rate experimental facilities in which ideas and novel concepts can be developed, tested and proven. Within the Engineering Faculty there has recently been a major investment in new, state of the art laboratories to form the £18million Bristol Laboratories for Advanced Dynamic Engineering (BLADE). ACCIS makes use of this world class infrastructure to house composites-specific equipment and additionally has access to the broader range of laboratory equipment as and when required. Amongst the available facilities are :
A six degree-of-freedom 3m square shaking table, capable of payloads of up to 15 Tonne.
– Large reaction wall/floor
– Reconfigurable hydraulic actuator systems
– Open and closed jet wind tunnels
– Mid to high frequency vibration testing
– Laser vibrometry
– Modal testing
and more for composites processing, high strain arte, characterisation and visualization.
Contact:
Ocean Basin Facilities, Gosport
Location: Haslar Marine Technology Park, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 2AG, United Kingdom
Website: www.qinetiq.com/what/capabilities/ maritime/Pages/major-facilities.aspx
Main Feature:
Ocean Basin & Rotating Arm
– Dimensions 122m (L) x 61m (W) x 5.5m (D)
– Wavemaker Regular waves up to 0.5m in height
– Long-crested irregular waves with
– Significant wave heights up to 0.25m
– Rotating Arm Angular speeds between 0.01 rad/s and 0.6 rad/s
– Radius variable between 7.5m and 27.5m
– Tracking Facility equipped with state of-the art Qualisys Motion Capture System
With a volume of 40,000 tonnes of clear water, QinetiQ’s Ocean Basin is one of the largest hydrodynamic facilities in the World.
Towing tank
– Dimensions 270m (L) x 12.2m (W) x 5.5m (D)
– Wavemaker Up to 12.25m/s and drag loads up to 5kN
Wavemaker Regular waves up to 0.37m in height Long-crested irregular waves with significant wave heights up to 0.18m. Designed for constrained hydrodynamic model tests of surface ships, submarines, offshore structures and renewable energy devices, QinetiQ’s Towing Tank is by far the largest in the UK and is one of the most capable in the World.
Contact: 44 (0)843 658 4668
www.qinetiq.com/contact/ Pages/default.aspx
Enclosed Water Tunnel, Southampton
Name: WOLFSON UNIT for Marine Technology and industrial aerodynamics
Location: School of Engineering Sciences University of Southampton Wolfson Unit MTIA (WUMTIA), Wolfson Unit MTIA, Building 15/A, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
Website: www.wumtia.soton.ac.uk/
Main Feature: Suitable for flow visualization on small models. Working section 0.3m x 0.25m. Maximum flow speed: 3.5m/s
Contact:
Wind Tunnel, Southampton
Location: School of Engineering Sciences University of Southampton Wolfson Unit MTIA (WUMTIA), Wolfson Unit MTIA, Building 15/A, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
Website: www.windtunnel.soton.ac.uk
Main Feature: R J Mitchell wind tunnel, Working section: 3.5m wide x 2.6m high X 10.5m long. Maximum wind speed: 55m/s. 6 component balance in tunnel roof. 4 component balance and turntable in tunnel floor. Atmospheric boundary layers can be simulated in the long working section. Moving ground belt: 2.4m wide x 4.8m long. Maximum belt speed: 27m/s. 7′ x 5′ Wind Tunnel (including 15′ x 12′ low speed section) Low speed section: 4.6m wide x 3.7m high x 3.7m long. Maximum wind speed: 10m/s. 6 component balance and turntable in tunnel floor. High speed section: 2.1 m wide x 1.5m high x 4.4m long. Maximum wind speed: 50m/s. 3 component balance in tunnel roof. Moving ground belt: 1.Om wide x 2.1 m long Maximum belt speed: 25m/s. 3’x 2’ tunnel wind tunnel, Suitable for flow visualization. Working section 0.9m wide x 0.6m high. Maximum wind speed: 40m/s.
Contact:
Towing Tank, Southampton
Location: University of Southampton, School of Engineering Sciences, Ship Science, Highfield, Southampton, SO9 5NH
Website: www.marine.gov.uk/lamont.htm
Main Feature: Ship model resistance and sea-keeping experiments. Horizontal planar motion experiments; properties of waves, bodies in waves and wave energy devices: The Lamont Tank provides a controlled environment for testing models in calm water or in waves. It can also be used to test fixed bodies or structures subject to wave loadings, and unmanned or tethered underwater vehicles. Length of 30m, breadth of 2.4m and a water depth of 1.2m. It is equipped with an unmanned carriage capable of towing models of ships/marine vehicles at speeds up to 2.5m/s. Model size is typically up to a maximum of 2.0m. The carriage is equipped with a resistance/side force/yaw moment dynamometer. The wavemaker is a Seasim 3-segment flap type and is capable of generating regular, transient and irregular waves; wave measurement is carried out with capacitance and resistance probes. The horizontal planar motion mechanism, when required, is towed by the carriage. Staff, data acquisition and management systems.
Contact:
Anechoic Water Tank, Southampton
Location: University of Southampton, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research ISVR
Website: www.isvr.soton.ac.uk/fdag/uaua.htm
Main Feature: Acoustic and vibration measurements on submerged bodies and structures. Tank is 8m × 8m and has a water depth of 5m. Anechoic water tank provides a controlled environment for acoustic and vibration measurements on submerged bodies and structures. It is also suitable for testing unmanned or tethered underwater vehicles. Support staff may be provided for the facility if required. Extensive instrumentation is available for acoustic and vibration measurements
Contact:
Channel Coastal Observatory, Southampton
Location: National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH
Website: www.channelcoast.org/
Main Feature: The Channel Coastal Observatory is the data management centre for the Regional Coastal Monitoring Programmes and is hosted by New Forest District Council, in partnership with the University of Southampton and the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.
Contact:
National Marine Equipment Pool, Southampton
Location: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
Website: www.noc.soton.ac.uk/nmf/sea_sys_index.php
Main Feature: The Sea Systems group is responsible for the maintaining the National Marine Equipment Pool (NMEP) on behalf of NERC. The NMEP consists of a wide range of equipment which is primarily used to support the NERC Marine Facilities Programme, but is occasionally available for commercial hire.
The equipment available from the National Marine Equipment Pool is :
Laboratory Containers
Winches
Generators
Corers
Millipore System
Moorings
Dredges & Trawls
Computing and Communications
Geophysics Equipment
Water Sampling & Monitoring equipment
Deep Platforms
Contact:
Brest Port Facilities
Website: www.port.cci-brest.fr/indexen.htm
Main Feature: Located at the crossroads of numerous north-south and east-west sea routes, the port of Brest has remarkable nautical qualities and high performing facilities. The ports strategic position makes Brest your ideal choice in the heart of the Atlantic Arc. The port is a gateway to France, Europe and a connection to ongoing worldwide sailings.
Brest it is also a port, which serves Europe’s number one food industrial area. Founder member of the Association of Ports of the Atlantic Arc (APAA), Brest is an ideal port for transhipment in the case of the development of inter-european sea links and trans-european transport networks.
Facilities include:
– Multimodal terminal
– Bulk terminal
– Refrigerated terminal
– Oil terminal
– Ship repair
Contact:
Coordinates: 48.386012,-4.474196
Previmer – Coastal observation and forecasts operational centre
Managed by IFREMER
Location: Ifremer Centre de Brest, BP 70, 29280 Plouzané, France
Website: www.previmer.org
Main Feature: Pre-operational system aiming to provide a wide range of users, from private individuals to professionals, with short-term forecasts about the coastal environment along the French coastlines bordering the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. The following topics are covered:
– Hydrodynamic circulation (current and sea level),
– Sea water temperature,
– Sea states,
– Biogeochemical state and primary production.
Coordinates: 48.363891,-4.562788
Hyperbaric Tank, Brest
Location: Ifremer Centre de Brest, BP 70 29280 Plouzané, France
Website : http://wwz.ifremer.fr/rd_technologiques/Moyens/Moyens-d-essais/Caissons-d-essais-hyperbares
Main Feature: Immersion simulation up to 10000 metres. Due to their dimensions (1 metre in diameter – 2 metres in height), capabilities and associated means, they are unique in Europe. They can be filled with fresh water or natural sea water and the temperature and the level of dissolved gas can be regulated.
Contact:
Coordinates: 48.363891,-4.562788
CAPARMOR – Supercalculator for Oceanography (IFREMER)
Location: Ifremer Centre de Brest, BP 70 29280 Plouzané, France
Website: wwz.ifremer.fr/pcim_eng/Equipement
Main Feature: The calculator has a cluster of 256 computing nodes on four racks, each node containing two quad core 2.8Ghz Intel Xeon X5560 processors, i.e., a total of 2048 computing cores for a theoretical power of 23 Teraflops. The 256 nodes are interconnected by a 4xDDR Infiniband network. All the computing nodes have a 24Go memory, meaning a total memory of 6To.
Coordinates: 48.363891,-4.562788
Sea Test Base
Sea-based marine and undersea equipment R&D test platform
Location: Lanveoc, France
Website: www.celadon.asso.fr/cms/
Main Feature: Platform that allows to conduct R&D tests to depths of up to 30 metres, and, from seven test platforms on board vessels, is able to reach undersea locations up to 200 metres deep.
Contact:
Coordinates: 48.279537,-4.413342
VIGISAT, Plouzané
Location: Plouzané, France
Website: www.vigisat.eu
Main Feature: VIGISAT is operated by CLS as a station for direct reception and analysis of satellite images. Thanks to satellite radar imagery and CLS expertise, VIGISAT offers the best ocean monitoring and observation services to the authorities responsible for state operations at sea, as well as to the military, offshore industries, researchers, environmental associations, etc.
Day and night and in all weathers, VIGISAT acquires, processes, analyses and distributes near real time high-resolution radar images from the Canadian RADARSAT-1 and RADARSAT-2 satellites and the European ENVISAT and ERS-2 satellites.
Contact:
Coordinates: 48.361742,-4.574294
Deep Water Tank – Deep wave testing basin (IFREMER)
Location: Ifremer Centre de Brest, BP 70 29280, Plouzané, France
Website: http://wwz.ifremer.fr/rd_technologiques/Moyens/Moyens-d-essais/Bassin-d-essais-de-Brest
Main Feature: The deep wave basin of Brest is the deepest sea water basin in Europe (20 metres) and the only one which in wich it is possible to carry out studies on different subject such as marine hydrodynamics, sub-marine acoustics and tests on underwater intervention vehicles. The deep wave basin of Brest has the following characteristics:
– Length: 50 m
– Width: 12,5 m
– Depth: 20 m by 12,5 m and 10 m by 37,5 m
– Regular and irregular, one-way swell – maximum amplitude peak-trough: 45 cm.
– Towing carriage of models: speed up to 1,5 m/s
– Handling facilities: cranes of 25 tons and 5 tons.
Contact:
Coordinates: 48.363891,-4.562788
Materials Lab – behaviour and ageing of materials (IFREMER)
Location: Ifremer Centre de Brest, BP 70 29280 , Plouzané, France
Website: http://wwz.ifremer.fr/rd_technologiques/Moyens/Moyens-d-essais
Main Feature: The main facilities include: a marine in situ testing station, a hyperbaric testing tank with sea water circulation, Tensile strength testing machines (20 tons, 100 tons), Fatigue testing machines (20 tons, 25 tons), Tensile and bending creep testing machines (1 ton), Non Destructive Test equipment (Ultrasonic 3D tank, ED currents, Magnetic fields, DMA testing system, DSC analyzer, Potential measurement devices…)
Contact:
Coordinates: 48.363891,-4.562788
GENAVIR
Location: Plouzané, France
Website: www.genavir.fr
Main Feature: Organisation that manages vessels, submarines, AUV, ROV and other oceanographic equipments for IFREMER.
Contact:
Coordinates: 48.363891,-4.562788
ID Composite
Location: Saint Brieuc, France
Website: www.idcomposite.fr/
Main Feature: Conception, design, Rheologic analysis, Chemical and physical characterization, mechanical characterization…
Contact:
Coordinates: 48.512553,-2.739269
SEM-REV (Site d’Expérimentation en Mer pour la Récupération de l’Energie des Vagues)
Location: Le Croisic, France
Website: www.semrev.fr/en/
Main Feature: The SEM-REV is a fully fitted wave energy test facility intended to test and improve the efficiency of Wave Energy Converters (WECs) at an early stage of development. This test facility is aimed at helping the sector marine renewable energies grow in France and Europe. SEM-REV will give his partners the opportunity to use a station equipped with oceanographic instrumentation, electrical facilities linking the offshore system to the coast, and with a shore-based station monitoring the experimental data that can welcome the staff and equipment.
Contact:
Coordinates: 47.289142,-2.514092
Wave Tank, Nantes
Location: Ecole Centrale de Nantes, 1 rue de la Noë, 44300, Nantes, France
Website: www.ec-nantes.fr/version-anglaise /research/lmf/
Main Feature: A wave tank of 50 m length, 30 m wide and 5 m depth, with a central pit of 5 m on 5 m on 5 m. A multiflap wavemaker with 48 independant flaps allows to create multidirectionnal waves of 1 m height.
Contact:
Coordinates: 47.248548,-1.54987
Towing Tank, Nantes
Location: Ecole Centrale de Nantes, 1 rue de la Noë, 44300 Nantes, France
Website: www.ec-nantes.fr/version-anglaise /research/lmf/
Main Feature: 148 m long, 5 m wide and 3 m depth, with a carriage allowing to tow models up to 8 m/s. A wave maker allows to create front waves up to 0.6 m height
Contact:
Coordinates: 47.248548,-1.54987
Wind Tunnel, Nantes
Location: Ecole Centrale de Nantes, 1 rue de la Noë, 44300 Nantes, France
Website: www.ec-nantes.fr/version-anglaise/research/lmf/
Main Feature: A 26 m long wind tunnel with a measurement section of 2 m on 2 m used to make PIV measurement for the study of lower urban atmosphere
Contact:
Coordinates: 47.248548,-1.54987
Current Wave Flume (IFREMER)
Location: Ifremer Centre Manche Mer du Nord – 150 quai Gambetta 62200, Boulogne-sur-mer, France
Main Feature: The water circulation basin of Boulogne/Mer has a very rapid water circulation (2 m/s). Its hydrodynamic characteristics are excellent and allow, with the specific instrumentation such as a laser velocimeter, to carry out various activities such as sub-marine vehicle drag measurements and fishing gear behaviour tests.
The water tunnel has the following characteristics:
– Length: 18 m
– Width: 4 m
– Height: 2m
– Length of observation window: 8 m
– Length of mobile bottom: 9 m
– Speed of water: from 0,15 m/s up to 2 m/s
– Mobile carriage for placing equipment in water and for observation
– Associated measurement devices: laser velocimeter 2 directions.
Contact:
Coordinates: 50.730805,1.598654
