Marine energy test centre for Japan

A new marine renewable energy test facility for Japan is being developed to help facilitate the development of a wave and tidal energy industry in the country.

Planning for the proposed Nagasaki Marine Energy Centre, in Nagasaki Prefacture, will benefit from advice from the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland. EMEC has signed a contract to provide advice on the development.

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 is also to conduct a review of the marine renewables industry in Japan, while also giving support in business planning, operational procedures, and health and safety. The announcement follows EMEC becoming a member of NaMICPA (the Nagasaki Marine Industry Cluster Promotion Association) in 2015, to help support the development of marine renewables in Japan and stimulate further collaboration between Japan and the UK.

In October, a 28-strong delegation from NaMICPA visited Orkney to discuss how the two regions can work together to progress marine renewables.

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.’

Previously, EMEC signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ocean Energy Association of Japan (OEAJ) in 2012 to provide advice and support in the development of a Japan Marine Energy Centre (JMEC).