Details of Award

NERC Reference : NE/S005811/1

Rapid Tidal Flow Forecasting for Marine Energy Resource Assessment

Principal Investigator:: Dr J Polton, NOC (Up to 31.10.2019), Science and Technology
Co-Investigator:: Dr N Bruneau, National Oceanography Centre, Science and Technology
Grant held at:: NOC (Up to 31.10.2019), Science and Technology

ENRIs:: Natural Resource Management
Science Topics:: Marine renewable energy; Earth Resources; Design Processes; Design Decision Support Tools; Water flow; Survey & Monitoring

Abstract:: Developing renewable energy such as tidal turbines requires in-depth assessment of a potential project site to understand suitability, potential energy production as well as impact on the environment. The exploitability of a site is mainly assessed by a combination of extensive field surveys with numerical modelling, which is expensive. Due to budget limitations, critical financial and technical decisions are made on a restricted sample of data leading to high level of risk and uncertainties. Here we aim to mitigate the issue of data scarcity by fusing established tidal flow analysis techniques with machine learning tools. The new tool will 'learn', from verified gauge data, the best way to temporally extend short-duration spatial survey data to make maps of tidal potential that can directly inform either more spatially targeted surveying, or assessments for optimal siting of tidal stream devices. The tool aims to make surveying potential sites cheaper by targeted adaption of the survey campaign and more robust analysis of the data than is currently practiced. This is a proof-of-concept study. The outcomes include assessing whether the tool has sufficient commercial merit to be developed further via a NERC follow-on call.

Authorised funds only

This grant award has a total value of £13,583

Indirect - Indirect Costs	DA - Estate Costs	DI - Staff	DI - T&S
£4,414	£1,818	£6,344	£1,008

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