COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Equitable Testing and Evaluation of Marine Energy Extraction Devices in terms of Performance, Cost and Environmental Impact Grant agreement number: 213380 Deliverable D4.3 Test Sites Catalogue DRAFT Grant Agreement number: 213380 Project acronym: EQUI MAR Project title: Equitable Testing and Evaluation of Marine Energy Extraction Devices in terms of Performance, Cost and Environmental Impact Deliverable D4.3 Test Sites Catalogue Michael O’Connor UCC Brian Holmes UCC April 2011 Summary This report aims to give an overview of the various wave energy and tidal energy test sites that exist today as well as those that are proposed for the near future. The various independent full scale wave and tidal sites are described together with nursery and scale sites. A description is also given of test sites which device developers have created in order to test their own devices. All the sites are described in terms of scale of devices tested, resource and met-ocean conditions, infrastructure and services available, licensing and permitting issues as well as the rationale behind the selection of the location of each site. Finally the importance of the spectral shape of the seaway at wave energy test sites is discussed as well as the role of test centres in the development schedule of wave and tidal devices. Institution Institution Logo Logo CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................... 1—7 1.1 SCOPE OF REPORT .......................................................................................................................................................... 1—7 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................................................. 1—7 1.3 DESCRIPTION OF TEST SITES .......................................................................................................................................... 1—7 2 WAVE ENERGY TEST SITE REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................... 2—8 2.1 MET -OCEAN CONDITIONS .............................................................................................................................................. 2—8 2.2 GRID CONNECTION ........................................................................................................................................................ 2—8 2.3 WAVE MEASUREMENTS ................................................................................................................................................. 2—8 2.4 METEOROLOGICAL AND CURRENT MEASUREMENTS ..................................................................................................... 2—8 2.5 BATHYMETRY ................................................................................................................................................................ 2—9 2.6 PROXIMITY TO SUPPORT FACILITIES ............................................................................................................................... 2—9 2.7 LICENSING AND PERMITS ............................................................................................................................................... 2—9 2.8 ONSHORE MONITORING FACILITIES ............................................................................................................................... 2—9 3 EMEC WAVE ENERGY TEST SITE SCOTLAND ..................................................................................................... 3—10 3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................ 3—10 3.2 RESOURCE .................................................................................................................................................................... 3—10 3.3 MAIN SITE CHARACTERISTICS ..................................................................................................................................... 3—11 3.4 LICENSING AND PERMITS ............................................................................................................................................. 3—13 3.5 REASON FOR TESTING AT THIS SITE / RELATIONSHIP TO DEVELOPMENT STAGES ........................................................... 3—13 3.6 REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS LOCATION ...................................................................................................................... 3—13 3.7 RELATIONSHIP WITH SCALE /N URSERY SITES ............................................................................................................... 3—13 4 WAVEHUB ENGLAND ................................................................................................................................................... 4—14 4.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................ 4—14 4.2 RESOURCE .................................................................................................................................................................... 4—15 4.3 MAIN SITE CHARACTERISTICS ..................................................................................................................................... 4—16 4.4 LICENSING AND PERMITS ............................................................................................................................................. 4—17 4.5 REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS LOCATION ...................................................................................................................... 4—17 4.6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ......................................................................................................................................... 4—17 5 BIMEP SPAIN ................................................................................................................................................................... 5—18 5.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................ 5—18 5.2 RESOURCE .................................................................................................................................................................... 5—18 5.3 MAIN SITE CHARACTERISTICS ..................................................................................................................................... 5—19 5.4 LICENSING AND PERMITS ............................................................................................................................................. 5—20 5.5 REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS LOCATION ...................................................................................................................... 5—20 6 SEM-REV FRANCE ......................................................................................................................................................... 6—21 6.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................ 6—21 6.2 RESOURCE .................................................................................................................................................................... 6—21 6.3 MAIN SITE CHARACTERISTICS ..................................................................................................................................... 6—22 6.4 LICENSING AND PERMITS ............................................................................................................................................. 6—23 6.5 REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS LOCATION ...................................................................................................................... 6—23 7 BELMULLET IRELAND ................................................................................................................................................ 7—24 7.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................ 7—24 7.2 RESOURCE .................................................................................................................................................................... 7—25 7.3 MAIN SITE CHARACTERISTICS ..................................................................................................................................... 7—26 7.4 REASON FOR TESTING AT THIS SITE / RELATIONSHIP TO DEVELOPMENT STAGES ........................................................... 7—26 7.5 REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS LOCATION ...................................................................................................................... 7—27 8 PILOT ZONE PORTUGAL ............................................................................................................................................ 8—28 8.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................ 8—28 8.2 RESOURCE ...................................................................................................................................................................