Marine Energy Research Group

Various stakeholders in the Welsh marine energy sector have discussed, at length, the unknowns, the environmental issues, the procedural difficulties and the numerous opportunities.  The result of these discussions is a programme of strategic research which is being supported by the Low-Carbon Research Institute (LCRI).   The LCRI’s aim being to promote the diverse range of energy research, not only marine, which will deliver the low-carbon future envisaged by Welsh Government.

The marine energy research activities of the LCRI are managed by the Marine Energy Research Group (MERG) based at Swansea University, and involve academic, industrial, governmental and environmental groups from around the Welsh coast.  The organisation of the research work has been specifically designed to answer environmental and engineering concerns, and supply stakeholders with the information required to reduce risk and instil confidence, which willl ultimately lead to investment.

The LCRI Marine programme will: supply the sector with focussed, independent, multi-disciplinary research that will underpin the growth of the industry/ develop the knowledge-base around the Welsh coast that will incubate fundamental and industrial research in partnership with UK and Europe / build an academic support structure that will continue to offer assistance and guidance to the marine energy sector in future years.

Pembrokeshire specific research

As part of the LCRI Marine R&D Programme, Research Vessel Guiding Light (Cardiff University) undertook hydrographic surveys in Ramsey Sound and amongst the Bishops and Clerks. The aim of the deployment was to inter alia investigate further the complexity of hydrodynamics in the area. The unique dataset will subsequently be used by the various Partners collaborating  within LCRI-Marine (engineers, modellers, biologists, oceanographers, developers etc.) to identify (and potentially discount) areas in the vicinity of Ramsey Sound and the Bishops and Clerks deemed suitable for the installation of tidal turbines.  RV Guiding Light was used as a research platform to monitor tidal flow and bathymetry using a high resolution Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and single-beam echosounder respectively.  A total of 128 survey lines were completed, equating to a total length of approximately 96 nautical miles.  

Activity profile :
ADCP surveys in new areas - ADCP repeat survey of previous lines - Micro-scale surveys of special flow characteristics, e.g. Carreg Rhoson, Bais Bank, TEL site - Self Recording Current Meter (SRCM) deployments at two depths on mooring (24 hours a day for 5 days) - Cross-checking of ADCP/SRCM correlation tests - Side-scan sonar - Host visitors - Added to photo database

Rationale
Potential transect lines were initially located team taking into account the depth of water and assumed set of the tide. Survey lines of opportunity were added according to on-site observation and interpretation of real time results.

The survey programme was modified on occasions in response to the influence of over falls and tide rips. During the course of the programme, a decision was made to establish the regional trend of the main set of the tide in the light of observations made regarding the apparent flow anomalies. As a result, additional transect lines were surveyed approximately 2.5 nautical miles west of the North Bishop, in the vicinity of the South Bishop, Bais Bank and St David’s Head.

Potential Lines of Investigation :
Actual set of the tide between North Bishop, Carreg Rhoson, Ramsey Island - Influence of island/rock characteristics on flow regime - Comparison of results with those from previous deployment in May (Celtic Odyssey I) giving further details of temporal and spatial variations of the flow regime - Renewable energy potential - Site-specific bathymetry and hydrodynamics 

Download the presentation given by METG/LCRI at the MEP working group meeting here.

  for more information on the research being carried out in the area.