Advanced Materials for Ocean Energy Converter

The ocean energy sector incorporates a number of different technologies such as Wave, Tidal Range and Ocean Currents, although others such as Salinity Gradient and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion are also in development. All of these technologies have at least two common challenges which will be addressed in this project:
1. The Ocean is a very corrosive and demanding environment on material reliability and survivability
2. The materials used form a significant part of the overall cost of energy for the technology so they need to be protected to ensure efficient energy generation .
This project will focus on monitoring systems and materials, especially in coatings, to avoid the negative effect of corrosion and biofouling in the marine renewable energy sector.
At present, huge research efforts in understanding and preventing biofouling and corrosion of materials and structures immersed in the marine environment are being carried out. It has been estimated that the total cost of marine corrosion worldwide is between $50-80 billion every year. The coating industry accounts for almost 40% of the total direct costs, and the largest portion of this cost is attributed to organic coatings.
MAT4OEC aims to develop advanced materials for Ocean Energy Converters to improve the resistance to marine environment of current and future materials, increasing the reliability, durability and survivability, contributing significantly to LCoE reduction. Two main approaches will be followed: 1) advanced coating for steel structures to reduce the problem of the corrosion and biofouling, and 2) advanced coatings for composite materials biofouling to avoid biofouling. A monitoring system will also be developed to analyse the evolution of corrosion and biofouling in both approaches.

Project Partners:

• CTC, Spain
• ALPHATEK, UK
• DEGIMA,  Spain
• MANDIOLA COMPOSITES S.L., Spain
• NOVA INNOVATION, UK
• SMARTBAY, Ireland
• HEAB Marine Biotechnology AB, Sweden
• ZENSOR, Belgium

Start Date: 15/06/2017
End Date: 31/12/2019
Total Project Costs and Funding : Costs: 1.151.315€ – Funding: 642.753€