Ireland completes Galway Bay Ocean Observatory

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), the Marine Institute and Commissioners of Irish Lights have completed the construction of the Galway Bay underwater ocean observatory.

The ocean observatory will enable the use of cameras, probes and sensors to permit continuous and remote live underwater monitoring.

The equipment has been installed in the Galway Bay test site, which is an area 1.5 km off Spiddal pier and is used primarily to test small scale ocean energy devices.

Data from the equipment will be fed via an underwater cable, which was deployed in April, to the Marine Institute where analysis will take place, SEAI’s press release reads.

The observatory equipment will allow ocean energy developers to monitor how their devices are performing in the ocean as well as give ocean researchers real-time access to monitor ongoing changes in the marine environment.

Declan Meally, Head of Emerging Technologies in SEAI said: “The new Galway undersea ocean observatory will strengthen our offering and greatly assist the testing of new ocean energy technologies. Also, in helping the development of support structures, such as moorings, SEAI is ensuring that the supply chain for the offshore energy renewable sector is simultaneously progressing.”

Also deployed at the test site was a novel mooring tether developed by an Irish company Technology From Ideas.

According to SEAI, the technology reduces the impacts of rough seas on moored devices, thus making them cheaper to design and construct. The development and testing of the mooring tether is being grant supported by SEAI.

Commissioners of Irish Lights provided the ILV Granuaile, a multi-functional vessel, for deployment of the equipment.

The Galway Bay ocean observatory is part of a larger collaborative project between SEAI, the Marine Institute, University College Cork (Marine Renewable Energy Ireland – MaREI), SmartBay Ireland and Dublin City University to upgrade existing facilities at the Galway Bay test site.

The overall project has been funded by Science Foundation Ireland and is due to be completed this year.

The Marine Institute is the Ireland’s agency responsible for marine research, technology development and innovation in Ireland.

SEAI is Ireland’s national energy agency, with a mission to play a leading role in transforming Ireland into a society based on sustainable energy structures, technologies and practices.

Commissioners of Irish Lights deliver an essential safety service around the coast of Ireland, protecting the marine environment, and supporting the marine industry and coastal communities.

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Image: SEAI