Research Projects & Proposals
(click on image for larger version).
Current MREDS Research
Hydrodynamics and the physical marine environment (under Workpackage 4) |
|
 |
We are currently investigating a number of research areas examining the hydrographic regime in Orkney waters, how this may be affected by marine energy devices and the consequent impacts on the environment. |
 |
Some recent outputs of this research
|
Marine Planning, Stakeholder Liaison & Conflict Resolution (under Workpackage 5 & 6) |
|
|
ICIT is currently one year into a four year EU funded project which aims to develop a generic framework and tools for marine spatially managed areas (SMAs) across Europe. Project MESMA is co-ordinated by IMARES (Netherlands) and ICIT is accompanied by 20 other universities and research institutions across 12 European countries. ICIT is a key partner from the UK and is leading a case study of the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters (PFOW) area as one of ten case studies in the MESMA programme. The area of the PFOW has been designated for urgent marine planning by the UK and Scottish Governments because of its role in the development of marine renewable energy extraction for the purpose of generating electricity. The case study pays particular attention to the socio–economic uses and developments in the PFOW and the role of the stakeholders and their institutions in the planning process. For further information about MESMA click here or contact Dr Kate Johnson. |
Stakeholder Liaison The UK and specifically Scotland is at the forefront of planning for marine energy. The presence of developers at EMEC and the imminent issue of sea bed leases in the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters to marine energy developers by the Crown Estate has brought environmental monitoring to the top of the political and regulatory agenda. The Scottish Government has recently established a Marine Spatial Planning Group to implement new marine planning legislation and a strategic marine plan for renewable energy and the Orkney area has been identified as a pilot location for this process. The development of appropriate environmental monitoring protocols is now recognised as a priority by all stakeholders. In November 2009 ICIT organised a workshop attended by industry government and NGOs to examine the issue of environmental monitoring. Key issues discussed included the scope/extent of monitoring and where responsibilities should lie. A second stakeholder workshop took place in Inverness on 9th February 2011. The objectives of the workshop were to contribute to knowledge about the baseline socio–economic conditions in the Pentland Firth by identifying stakeholder interests and the processes for stakeholder engagement which could lead to a balanced and sustainable marine energy industry. Outputs include a guide to policy makers, regulators and stakeholders. Outputs will also be used to compile a questionnaire to test results across a wider constituency. |
|
|
|
 |
Quantifying the effects of marine energy convertors on exposure (under Workpackage 5)Part of the Supergen programme this PhD research, is currently exploring the concept of “exposure” in the shoreline environment. In particular it is developing low cost devices and instrumentation for the evaluation of environmental disturbance resulting from the installation of wave energy convertor arrays. The “exposure” of the coast to wave and tidal forces is a key determinant of the coastal biotope. However there are no readily available devices which can measure wave energy acting directly upon the coastline. |
| This study is trialing two novel technologies (i) the use of sacrificial material to provide a measure of wave energy over a period of time, and (ii) the use of audio transducers in the surf zone to measure wave periodicity and extrapolate mean values of near shore wave energy. These trials are taking place on the coast line adjacent to the EMEC test facility and other sites on the west coast of Orkney. | |
Methodologies for the study of the ecological consequences of wave energy extraction on the rocky shoreline of Orkney (under Workpackage 5)
This project (part of the Supergen Marine Plus programme) aims to establish several monitoring programs examining population dynamics of wave–exposed rocky shoreline in Orkney. As components of this high–energy environment, it is hoped that some of the selected species may be important sentinels in examining ecological consequences of energy extraction by wave devices currently undergoing testing in these waters.
The project examines littoral organisms but will expand to include sublittoral species also. An important starting point has been the review of several potential candidate species which are now being monitored along the west coast of Orkney.
Feasibility of an Innovative Methodology for Testing Marine Current Turbines in Unsteady Flow (under Workpackage 4)
A collaborative project with Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME) Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities, addressing the hydrodynamic assessment of horizontal axis tidal turbines in unsteady flow conditions resulting from wave and current interactions. The study involved field resource identification of the unsteady flow and the design/development of a physical hydrodynamic model test rig to simulate unsteady field conditions and monitor the hydrodynamic loading on the tidal turbines.
|
|
