DMEC and EMEC guide technology qualification for Resolute Marine

The Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC) and the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) have held a technology qualification workshop with Resolute Marine as part of the Marine Energy Alliance (MEA) project.

Over the course of the three-day workshop, technical experts from Resolute Marine, EMEC and DMEC analysed certain components of Resolute’s innovative Wave2O technology for their design integrity and related risk factors and developed a plan for the next steps in the technology qualification (TQ) process.

The workshop is a leading example of the cross-border cooperation taking place within the Marine Energy Alliance (MEA) – a 4-year project supported by Interreg North West Europe which has provided €3.6 million through the European Regional Development Fund.

During the workshop, Resolute Marine received expert input for its further design and qualification pathway, while at the same time the IEC and IECRE working groups received constructive feedback regarding the implementation of a newly developed standard.

The TQ workshop will resume in January 2021 and will focus on the analysis of additional Wave2O components, according to Resolute Marine.

Simon Stark, Technology and Innovation Advisor at DMEC, said: “This workshop has been a great opportunity to collaborate with EMEC and align our efforts in developing certification services for marine energy developers as well as supporting the development of Resolute’s innovative Wave2O technology”.

DMEC, EMEC and RME are participants in IEC technical committee TC 114 which is developing international standards for marine energy technologies. The TQ workshop followed IEC TS 62600-4 (the technical specification for technology qualification) and the newly released IECRE OD-310-4 (the Operational Document that guides certification bodies through the TQ process).

Elaine Buck, Technical Manager at EMEC, said: “Application of the IEC TS 62600-4 alongside Resolute Marine has provided valuable lessons learned and insights for improvements in the TQ process.  EMEC was pleased to provide its technical expertise and looks forward to continued work with Resolute”.

Bill Staby, CEO of Resolute Marine, added:  “We’re very pleased to have been part of this TQ workshop. After many years of development and testing and with the help of EMEC and DMEC, we’re on a direct path to commercial acceptance of our Wave2OTMtechnology and can now look forward to receiving critical support from our insurance and financial partners”.

A Wave2O system deployment typically employs several wave energy converters that pressurize seawater which is piped ashore to directly drive a seawater reverse-osmosis desalination system to produce fresh water.

Take a look at Resolute Marine’s technology in a showcase video released as part of the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2020.