OI 2016: Recent Innovations helping Marine Renewables Achive real cost reductions

05.02.2016
Cost reduction is the constant aim of the marine renewable energy industry, and this year’s ‘Marine Renewables’ conference session on Tuesday 15 March, the opening day of Oceanology International 2016 (OI 2016), the world’s largest exhibition and conference for marine science and ocean technology (London’s ExCeL, 15-17 March), will be exploring some of the steps being taken to achieve this all-important goal. Like all the component parts of Oceanology International the conference is free to attend, online registration is at www.oceanologyinternational.com.



“Join the marine renewables session at OI 2016 and hear from industry professionals about how recent innovations in modelling, surveying and foundation design are helping the industry achieve real cost reductions,” urge the co-chairs of the day-long session, Nick Murphy, Head of Operations, SeaRoc and Tony Hodgson, Global Business Development Manager – Renewable Energy, Fugro.

“We will start by exploring some of the new techniques and technologies which are expanding our knowledge in offshore surveying, in areas such as underwater acoustics, quantifying turbulence, and dealing with WWII bombs and other unexploded ordinance.

“After lunch we have a panel of experts who will present some of the more novel foundation systems which are being deployed to support offshore wind, tidal and wave energy projects around the world, and who will talk about a variety of projects they have been involved with, from large bore submarine drills, rock anchors and suction caissons to self-installing substations from Germany.

“Finally we will wrap up with a session on new applications from existing technologies, at which we will hear from the European Space Agency on how space tech is being applied in offshore renewables (and vice versa),” they add. “These include the latest on floating LiDAR for offshore anemometry, and a commercial power application from wave energy today; as well as the fascinating world and complexities associated with physical modelling and replicating the environmental conditions of seabed scour.

“Personally I am really looking forward to learning about self-jacking substations from Germany and hearing from the European Space agency on how the technologies from offshore renewables are being used in space,” says Nick Murphy.

“Nick typifies our audience who will all pick on different topics within the session as their ‘must listen to’ presentations; our chairmen have done a magnificent job putting together a varied and stimulating day of presentations,” explains Event Director, Jonathan Heastie of organisers, Reed Exhibitions.

Getting down to detail
Including the chairmen there are fifteen speakers taking part in the ‘Marine Renewables’ conference stream which is divided into three sessions – ‘Surveying’, ‘Innovation in Foundations’; and ‘New Applications for Technologies’.

First to give his presentation will be Fabian Wolk, President of Rockland Scientific Inc with ‘Quantifying turbulence in tidal channels’; Tritech International’s Senior Software Engineer, Dr Pauline Jepp, will follow with ‘’Field-proven techniques in target identification and tracking using sonar technologies around marine current turbines’; after which ‘Advanced passive acoustics, from pre-installation to maintenance of offshore renewable installations and habitat monitoring’ will be the subject to be explored by Luc Simon, Business Development Manager, RTYS. The final presentation in the ‘Surveying’ session is by Anne Chabert, Chief Geophysicist at Fugro EMU on ‘The application of marine geophysical methods for unexploded ordnance (UXO) detection’.

Following a 60 minute break, the ‘Innovation in Foundations’ session comprises four presentations followed by a panel discussion and Q&A. the first speaker will be Bill Shaw, Commercial Director of Bauer Renewables, looking at ‘Innovative seabed drilling solutions’; this will be followed by ‘Mono bucket foundations’ by Universal Foundation’s Director of Technology, Søren A. Nielsen. Michael McSherry, Marine Renewables Manager and Damian Callan, Technical Manager at McLlaughlin & Harvey will be next at the lectern with ‘Innovative foundation installation techniques for offshore renewables projects’; followed by Jan Henning Gűnther, Lead Consulting Engineer at MAREVAL who takes ‘Suction can foundations and self-jacking installations’ as his topic.

The final four speakers of the day will be looking at new applications for technologies. Callum Morrie, ESA IAP Offshore Energy Ambassador from the European Space Agency is first up, with ‘Developing roles for space applications in the offshore renewable energy sector under the European Space Agency’s Integrated Applications Promotion Programme (IAP)’. He will be followed by Graham Howe, Director of Sales – Europe at AXYS Technologies talking about ‘NORCOW FINO1 validation campaign: Study overview and results’; then the conference spotlight falls on Paul Watson, Director of Business Development UK & Europe at Ocean Power Technologies, speaking on ‘Improving data availability and accuracy of offshore environmental monitoring while also reducing cost and complexity through delivery of reliable persistent power’. The final speaker of the day is Richard Whitehouse, Technical Director of HR Wallingford with ‘Taking the plunge: Physical modelling of scour under combined waves and currents’.

Packed exhibition
There are Canadian, French, German, Irish, Dutch and US national group stands at OI 2016, as well as a diving pavilion; and individual exhibitors come from 32 countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, UK and the USA. Together they take up over 8,000m2 of stand space making OI 2016 the largest ever held in its 47-year history. In 2014 there were 520+ exhibiting companies and total attendance over the three days of over 8,400 industry professionals.

OI 2016 is staged in partnership with the SUT and with The Hydrographic Society UK; the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST); the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA); the Marine Technology Society (MTS); and the Society of Maritime Industries (SMI) as endorsing organisations.

Further information on all aspects of Oceanology International including visitor registration is available online at www.oceanologyinternational.com and OITeam@reedexpo.co.uk

Location: London,UK









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