World first for Orkney energy project
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ORKNEY'S European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has been awarded the highest international designation for marine energy test laboratories.
It becomes the first Renewable Energy Testing Laboratory (RETL) centre for ocean energy in the world.
RETL designation is awarded by the International Electrotechnical Commission – Renewable Energy System (IECRE) which operates a global certification system addressing three renewable energy sectors: solar photovoltaic (PV), wind energy, and marine energy.
A prerequisite to being recognised as a RETL in the marine energy sector is to be accredited as a test laboratory. EMEC has been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) as a test laboratory since 2005 and as an inspection body since 2014.
Up until now, EMEC could perform accredited performance assessments within the UK. RETL designation enables EMEC to perform tests to assess the power performance of tidal energy converters anywhere in the world in compliance with IEC TC 114 Technical Specifications (precursors to international standards).
For now, the RETL designation only covers the power performance assessment of tidal energy converters. However, the IECRE System is in the process of expanding the designation to cover wave energy converters and additional competence areas as well.
EMEC’s technical manager, Elaine Buck, said attaining RETL designation is a vital milestone for the ocean energy sector.
“Given the complexity and size of the challenges in developing ocean energy technologies – consenting, commissioning, installation, operations, maintenance – it is extremely difficult for investors, funders and insurers to adequately conduct comprehensive technical due diligence," she said.
"Thus, the IECRE offers a comprehensive and transparent third-party renewable energy conformity assessment system that ensures that project installations adhere to accepted international standards.
“For EMEC, gaining RETL designation is a major achievement, providing independent assurance that ISO/IEC 17025 and IECRE criteria have been met for integrity, technical competence and quality, and that the methods we use are standardised and transparent.
“RETL status opens up international markets to EMEC for testing ocean energy devices, subsystems and components on a worldwide basis. While there are 29 RETLs for wind energy globally, EMEC is the first RETL for ocean energy technologies in the world.”
The first technology to be assessed by EMEC as a RETL will be from Verdant Power, which is working to receive the first internationally recognised Renewable Energy Test Report (RETR) through the IECRE system.
Verdant intends to deploy three Gen5 turbines in New York City’s East River later in 2020 and EMEC has been supporting the project in preparing for the power performance assessment.
Jonathan Colby, ME-SWG convenor and IEC TC 114 chairman said: “Gaining this RETL designation demonstrates EMEC’s technical competence, ensuring that procedures, data analyses and reporting are aligned to international best practice, processes are in place ensure impartiality and test reports that will be globally accepted, enhancing access to markets and financing for tidal energy developers.”
Wolfram Zeitz, IECRE executive secretary added: “For the IECRE the approval of the first marine energy RETL marks a major milestone. As a conformity assessment system we can be operational only if we do have approved and registered conformity assessment bodies, such as RE-Testing Laboratories and RE Certification Bodies operating in the system. While the IECRE marine sector has worked tirelessly to set up the system and define the detailed rules and processes for several years, only after this milestone are we ready to be operational. With the approval of EMEC as our first marine energy RETL, we are confident we will soon see conformity assessment being conducted under the umbrella of the IECRE marine sector. With EMEC we found a strong partner to continue this development.”
