IEC issues new marine energy standards

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee 114 has published a new technical specification IEC TS 62600-3:2020, for mechanical load measurement of marine energy converters like tidal, wave and current energy converters.

“The publication of the 62600-3 is an important step for TC 114 and the marine energy industry.

“Based on work done previously by TC 88 (Wind energy generation systems), this TS covers a broad range of technologies and testing procedures and helps fill a known gap in the suite of marine energy standards published to date,” said Jonathan Colby, Chair of IEC TC 114.

The main purpose of the mechanical load testing is to verify the structural load calculations made on hydrodynamic marine energy converters such as wave, tidal and other water current converters (including river current converters) for the purpose of load simulation model validation and certification.

The aim of the full-scale load tests is to confirm an acceptable level of probability that the whole installed production fulfils the design assumptions.

The TS contains requirements and recommendations for the measurement of mechanical loads for activities such as site selection, data acquisition and verification, calibration, measurement load cases, uncertainty determination and reporting.

The TS also defines the requirements for full-scale structural testing of subsystems or parts with a focus on full-scale structural testing of marine energy converter rotor blades, such as structural integrity, and for the interpretation and evaluation of achieved test results.

IECRE, the IEC System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Renewable Energy Applications, offers testing and certification which reassures investors, manufacturers and users of RE technologies that these are safe, secure, interoperable and function correctly wherever they are in the world.

The system covers the wind, solar photovoltaic and marine energy sectors.

“This certification is especially important for the funding of marine energy developments and projects. Investors need to be confident that marine energy equipment performs reliably and produces the expected output throughout its lifecycle.

“This IEC Technical Specification is part of a suite of marine energy Technical Specifications available to certify marine energy converters,” said Anton Schaap, Convenor of TC 114, adHoc Group 15 for the measurement of mechanical loads. Schaap also works for the Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC) within the MET-Certified project.

The adHoc group is responsible for collecting and considering proposals for changes to TS-3 and collecting and responding to feedback on the application of this TS.

These load measurement tests can be performed by an IECRE approved testing laboratory and will be included in certificates issued by an IECRE certification body.

The IECRE marine energy sector is currently developing an operational document that will give guidance to testing laboratories on how to apply this new technical specification.