An investment of €10.5 million in EU funding has been secured for the second phase of the transnational, multi-million euro initiative MaRINET2 (Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network).
MaRINET2 aims to help industry accelerate the development of offshore renewable energy technologies and infrastructure by opening up access to 57 test facilities across 13 European countries. The project is co-ordinated by MaREI, the Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy, at University College Cork.
The project consists of a network of 39 partners, involving research centres and organisations who work together to progress offshore renewable energy technologies such as wave, tidal and offshore-wind. This pan-European network will provide marine energy development companies, entrepreneurs, start-ups and researchers with fully-funded access to marine energy experts and the world’s leading wave, tidal and offshore-wind test facilities.
Speaking at the launch of MaRINET2 in Dublin, co-ordinator Dr Jimmy Murphy said: “MaRINET is a model for success and demonstrates what we can achieve in terms of collaboration and sharing knowledge transnationally. It will reduce the risk and financial burden of technology development in the offshore renewable energy sector and complement the existing national SEAI funding for these developers to test in Ireland eg at the Lir National Ocean Test Facilities, funded by SEAI and Science Foundation Ireland.”
MaRINET2 promotes standardisation of testing across these 39 European partners allowing all testing in these facilities and others, to be repeatable and standardised. This structured approach has gained international recognition and praise across this emerging sector.
Prof Tony Lewis, who led the first MaRINET programme and was strongly supported by the French, will continue to his role in MaRINET2. In recognition of his contribution to the offshore renewable energy sector across Europe, Mr Jean-Pierre Thebault, Ambassador of France to Ireland presented Prof Lewis with the grand honour of Chevalier des Palmes Academiques.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof Lewis said; “I am hugely honoured to accept the award of Chevalier des Palmes Academiques. I have a longstanding positive relationship, with many French Universities through exchange of students as well as joint European funded research projects such as MaRINET2.”
Irish Partners for MaRINET2 include SmartBay Ireland, National University of Ireland, Galway and the University of Limerick.
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