EMEC to guide Nagasaki marine energy testing

The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has signed a contract to provide advice on the development of a marine energy test facility in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

EMEC will advise on the infrastructure needed to develop a test site, from subsea cables, and grid connection to resource data instrumentation, as well as the wider infrastructure required in the region to support marine energy deployments, EMEC’s press release reads.

A review of the marine renewables industry will also be undertaken, alongside support in business planning, operational procedures, and health and safety.

Oliver Wragg, Commercial Director at EMEC, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Wind Energy Institute of Tokyo to help them develop marine energy in Japan. Just as EMEC stimulated interest and investment for marine energy in the UK in 2003, a Japanese test centre has the potential to kick-start the sector in Japan. And that will benefit wave and tidal technologies currently in development as there will be a wider international market for them when they reach commercialisation.”

Makoto Takahira, Director of Nagasaki Marine Industry Cluster Promotion Association, said: “The creation of Nagasaki Marine Energy Centre is an important step to accelerate development of ocean renewable energy in Japan as well as to create new marine industrial cluster in Nagasaki. We would like to learn from EMEC how to effectively manage the marine energy test centre and exchange information with supply chain companies in Orkney.”

The announcement follows EMEC becoming a member of NaMICPA (the Nagasaki Marine Industry Cluster Promotion Association) earlier in the year, to help support the development of marine renewables in Japan and stimulate further collaboration between the two countries.