Ocean Energy has been chosen to supply its technology to a project aiming to boost the marine energy industry in Wales and Ireland.
The Selkie project is being led by University College Cork in partnership with Swansea University, Marine Energy Wales, Menter Mon, DP Energy Ireland and Gavin and Doherty Geosolutions.
Selkie will test and validate the technology tools on two pilot demonstration technologies, one wave and one tidal.
The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Cooperation programme.
Ocean Energy chief technology officer Tony Lewis said: “Ocean Energy is delighted to be part of the Selkie project and actively collaborating with the industry’s leading research institutes and commercial partners.
“The participation of industry in this project will help to deliver a smoother commercialisation pathway by combining expertise, and critically, operational experience to validate the tools produced within the project.
“Being Welsh, I am particularly delighted that we are part of this unique collaboration between Wales and Ireland, both of whom have significant marine energy resources.”
Ocean Energy, based in Cobh, Ireland, has completed three years of sea trials at a test site in Galway Bay.
The company recently fabricated a 500kW converter, the OE35, for deployment at the US Navy’s test site in Oahu, Hawaii, for 12 months.
Selkie is developing a “streamlined commercialisation pathway” for the marine energy industry by establishing a cross-border network of developers and supply chain companies in Ireland and Wales.
Multi-use technology tools, templates, standards and models are being created for use across the sector in 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 and logistics models.
Project coordinator Gordon Dalton said: “The Selkie project is confident that Ocean Energy’s participation, as lead wave energy pilot in the Selkie project, will significantly benefit Ocean Energy in its road to commercialisation.
“Selkie will tailor its suite of tools to the wave energy sector needs and requirements, worth up to €4m in EC contribution.”