MAREC 2006 - 4th International Marine Renewable Energy Conference at WMTC

To view the technical programme for Marine Renewable Energy (MAREC 2006), please download the programme.

Two thirds of the planet is occupied by the earth’s oceans. Traditionally mankind has looked towards the oceans for transport and food. Now, due to the ever increasing demand for energy, mankind is looking towards the oceans as a sustainable energy source. This global energy challenge is being executed in the shadow of global climate change. This conference stream highlighted how the marine and offshore industries are adapting in order to rise to the global energy challenge.

The Chairman’s views prior to the conference:

 “I see finance, robustness and techno-economic viability of technology as the greatest challenges facing the marine renewables industry,” says Dr Chris French. “We will be addressing all of these issues and challenges in the MAREC stream at WMTC 2006 by means of interdisciplinary themes.” The themes for this stream include:

• Technology
  wind • wave • tidal • solar

• Power and control
  local distribution • fault tolerance • HVDC • cable technologies • power quality

• O & M
  through lifetime care • condition monitoring • access technology • maintenance

• Policy and planning
  GIS • techno-economics • finance • role of the classification society and regulatory bodies • education and training • navigation

• Environmental
  impact assessment • offshore construction

• Resource assessment
  Surveying • modelling • estimation

Dr French sees the greatest success for marine renewables as “keeping the dream alive during the dark years of no government support” an issue that will be addressed in the MAREC sessions by looking at the maturity of the technology now coming through.

He is looking forward to rising to the challenge that MAREC at WMTC 2006 offers and values the multi-disciplinary approach of the WMTC format.