Marine energy experts consult on ORE Supergen future

 
Leading figures from the renewable energy sector have gathered in Plymouth to consult on the future steps for the ORE Supergen program.

More than 60 experts in marine renewable energy and offshore wind, representing both academia and industry, attended a workshop staged by the University of Plymouth.

It was the third event held as part of consultations regarding the new ORE Supergen Hub, a program supported by both government and industry, which aims to connect leading figures in wave, tidal and offshore wind in sharing skills and expertise to address the many synergies and research challenges in these three related areas.

At the event in Plymouth, delegates discussed areas including minimizing human intervention, improving communication across the sector, reducing risk, innovation in design and identifying opportunities.

Their opinions, and those generated by two previous events in London focusing specifically on the offshore wind and marine sectors, will now be fed into a review documents which also identifies the next steps for the ORE Supergen project, according to the University of Plymouth.

Launched earlier this year, the Hub will be led by Professor Deborah Greaves, Head of the School of Engineering at the University and a leading figure in the UK’s marine renewable energy research sector.

Greaves said: “The UK has always been considered a world leader in this sector, but in order to maintain that position there are several challenges that need to be addressed. In recent months, I have been encouraged by the way academic and industry representatives have come together to share their existing ideas and identify ways that we can build on them. This type of coordinated approach will be crucial as the consortium advances its work, and for the benefit of the whole sector in the future.”

ORE Supergen is a £5 million four-year project, supported with the initial funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for building up the consortium that will drive the project forward.