Abstract |
One of the key developments of the marine energy industry in the UK is the demonstration of near commercial scale devices in real sea conditions and the collection of performance and environmental data to inform permitting and licensing processes. The ETI’s ReDAPT (Reliable Data Acquisition Platform for Tidal) project saw an innovative 1MW buoyant tidal generator installed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney in January 2013. The project demonstrated the performance of the tidal generator in different operational conditions, aiming to increase public and industry confidence in tidal turbine technologies by providing a wide range of environmental impact and performance information, as well as demonstrating a new, reliable turbine design
This report presents the conclusions of the ME8 Antifouling Systems for Tidal Energy Devices, focussing on 24 months of marine coating testing in the Fall of Warness, Orkney. It seeks to interpret the results of the coating testing presented elsewhere, attempts to contextualise and extrapolate the results with environmental data from the test site where available, and provides guidance on coating selection for marine tidal infrastructure. Attempts are made to predict the longevity of biocidal coating efficacy based on coating thickness measurements before and after testing. Advice to aid coating selection is based on the efficacy of the different coatings tested in terms of their ability to prevent the formation of biofouling and their ability to resist mechanical damage. A decision tree style diagram is presented to aid coating selection and the rationale behind the decision steps is discussed. This report also provides an update of developments in coating technologies that have arisen since theproject started in 2010, together with an update of the legislation concerning the use of antifouling coatings in the marine environment. Finally, the current situation concerning marine renewable devices and marine alien non-native species is discussed together with predicted implications for the renewable energy industry in terms of monitoring and mitigation |