A new edition of the well-established International Conference on Ocean Energy, ICOE2018, will take place in Normandy (La Cité de la Mer – Cherbourg) from 12th to 14th June 2018, organised by BlueSign in partnership with the Normandy region, Manche Department, Le Cotentin Communauté d’Agglomération and Cherbourg-en-Cotentin.
Held every two years since 2006, ICOE aims at gathering stakeholders from the sector of ocean energies and sharing the most recent experiences on research, technology transfer efforts and technological demonstration. The purpose of the event is to accelerate development by stimulating collaboration between companies, researchers and development centres. It also targets engagement of operators with experience in related marine and power industry sectors.
This conference a magnificent opportunity to disseminate results of EU funded project OPERA, as it aims to contribute to the reduction of technology risk and avoiding developers relearning via repeating early engineering mistakes.
The OPERA project involves two rounds of field tests with OCEANTEC’s MARMOK-A5 prototype, a floating spar OWC device. The prototype has been deployed and grid connected at BiMEP thanks to a nationally funded project in 2016 and is the main testing platform for benchmarking in OPERA. For 18 consecutive months the device has been grid connected, providing ample data to assess performance, reliability, survivability, cost and risks. At the same time testing of a new biradial air turbine and control algorithms have been carried out at Mutriku Wave Power Plant, a multi-OWC shoreline facility promoted by the Basque Energy Agency (EVE).
Three representatives of the OPERA project have been invited to present practical operating experience in three oral sessions:
- June 12th, Session: Risks Reduction – Lessons Learnt, Mr. Pablo Ruiz-Minguela (Tecnalia).
- June 13th, Session: Technologies Getting Wet – Wave (Part 1), Prof. Luis Gato (IST).
- June 14th, Session: Operating in the Cruel Sea – Learning and Planning, Mr. Borja de Miguel (Oceantec).
The OPERA project is looking forward to meeting you at the ICOE2018!
