Ireland’s marine test & demonstration facility actively seeks European wave device developers wishing to undertake funded sea trials in Ireland’s ¼ ocean energy test site.
Irelands National Marine Test and Demonstration facility is located approximately 1.5km East of Spiddal on Ireland’s west coast.
The Galway Bay test site is located within the national marine facility and is an ideal base as it provides a suitably scaled wave regime, sheltered harbour facilities and the renewable, maritime and engineering expertise that exists within the area.
The ¼ scale test site allows smaller scale devices, or those at an earlier stage in their development, to gain sea experience in less challenging conditions than those experienced at full-scale wave test sites.
The test site is ideal for developers wishing to undertake low-cost sea trials and validation of devices and components at technology readiness levels 5-6. Users of the test site can receive up to 45% funding for the cost of deploying devices in the site.
“Ireland has some of the best ocean energy technologies, research facilities and resources in the world and has emerged in recent years as a key player in Europe’s developing ocean energy industry. SmartBay Ireland has been integral to this and we are very pleased they have chosen to join Ocean Energy Europe. We will look forward to working with SmartBay to help bridge the gap to commercialisation and deliver a new European industry based on clean, renewable energy from the sea” , said Dr Sian George, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe.
John Breslin, General Manager at SmartBay Ireland , said: “SmartBay Ireland is committed to working with ocean energy device developers and to providing users of our facility with a range of “turn-key” marine, data and validation services.“