Annual Report- Part III - Florida Energy Systems Consortium

Florida Atlantic UniversitySoutheast National Marine Renewable Energy CenterWeb Site Link: http://snmrec.fau.eduDirector: Sue SkempContact InformationEmail: snmrec@fau.edu Phone: 561-297-0956DescriptionThe Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (SNMREC) at Florida Atlantic University isinvestigating the challenge of harnessing the power of the Gulf Stream for the generation of base loadelectricity, a unique contribution to a broadly diversified portfolio of renewable energy for the nation’sfuture. Working in a systematic fashion toward the implementation of a full-scale, at-sea testing facility forindustrial prototypes, current work includes developing testing infrastructure and protocols for componentsand complete generating systems and, in the process, fielding critical environmental monitoring systems sothat the nature and sensitivity of the resource itself can be understood and effects of single-systemdeployments can be examined before commercial-scale arrays are designed. The SNMREC’s strategy toaccelerate commercial development of Marine & Hydrokinetic (MHK) projects includes technology R&D,testing, environmental research and measurement, policy, regulatory, and economic research, and educationand outreach.Lab Capabilities: In-lab technology testing is underway with scaled generator dynamometer capabilitieswhich not only provide a platform to test offshore electrical systems beforeuse, but also simulate offshoregrids. Corrosion and bio-foulingfacilities allow for investigationof new materials and coatingswhich will be necessary toensure the efficacy of long termcommercial device arraydeployments, and a recirculatingflume tank is used to determineearly-stage proof-of-concept andto test mooring and devicedynamics before greaterexpense and risk is incurredtesting offshore at larger scales.184