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Queen’s University is celebrating a marine energy windfall
with the award of an £850,000 grant for an energy research
consortium.
The Marine Renewable Energy Group in the School of Planning,
Architecture and Civil Engineering at Queen’s received the
grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council (EPSRC). The group’s work will support the emerging
industry in wave and tidal stream energy conversion. The industry
is developing marine renewables which will reduce dependency
on fossil fuels and help combat the carbon emissions which
contribute to climate change.
Professor Trevor Whittaker, Head of the Marine Renewable
Energy Research Group, said - “Queen’s is one of the world’s
leaders in marine renewable energy. Our pioneering research
has already resulted in the construction of Britain’s first
two wave power plants off the Isle of Islay on the West coast
of Scotland. A third type of system - Oyster - is to
be launched this year off Orkney.
"This award recognises the contribution which has been
made by Queen’s during the past 30 years and will help to
support the research team as it develops new technologies
both in wave and tidal stream. This track record and the new
laboratory facilities enables Queen’s to successfully compete
for research contracts internationally.”
In a separate project, Queen’s marine laboratory scientists
will also carry out monitoring of seals, porpoises (whales,
dolphins) and seabird activity in Strangford Narrows, in the
vicinity of the £10 million tidal turbine recently installed
in Strangford Lough by Marine Current Turbines (Click
Here). With the turbine generating sustainable electricity
for 1000 homes, the two-year study will assess any changes
in the activity of animals in these three groups as a result
of its deployment.
A survey of animals will be carried out on the seabed at
critical sites adjacent to the turbine, to establish the influence
of changes in the water flow pattern from the presence of
the turbine’s blades. Queen’s scientists will also assist
with the measurement of currents in the vicinity of the turbine
and carry out a survey of local opinion on the deployment
of the tidal turbine.
Graham Savidge, Queen’s University Marine Biology Senior
Lecturer, welcomed the survey and the arrival of the new turbine,
saying - “This shows the value of the Strangford Narrows site
as a test area for such a device.”
Further information on the wave power projects can be found
at the web sites of the industrial partners -
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