New Certification Scheme Helps 'De-Risk' MRE Technologies

Leading international classification society Bureau Veritas certification in projects world-wide is helping reduce and manage risk as ocean engineering requirements develop in the growing marine renewable energy sector.

Bureau Veritas, the leading international classification society has published a set of guidelines, NI 631 “Certification Scheme for Marine Renewable Energy Technologies”, addressing a broad spectrum of the needs of marine renewable energy (MRE) businesses and projects.

The certification scheme covers:

-              Floating offshore wind turbines

-              Current and tidal turbines, including sea and river turbines

-              Wave energy converters

-              Ocean thermal energy converters (OTECs)

‘The marine renewables sector is growing in importance and the complexities are increasing as the sector continues to mature’, comments Matthieu de Tugny, Senior Vice President, Offshore, Bureau Veritas. ‘Bureau Veritas is taking a broad leadership position in the development of cleaner energy projects and technologies in the marine and offshore environments. We are helping de-risk these projects through our familiarity with and our capabilities in offshore engineering and knowledge of environmental realities and regulatory requirements for MRE projects.’

Marine renewable projects are reliant on engineering expertise developed in the offshore oil and gas industry and this expertise is vital as world-wide interest in floating and submerged MRE applications grows.

Matthieu de Tugny: ‘As interest in MRE is increasingly expanding to options beyond fixed wind turbines, we are working on projects in harsher conditions and with heavier engineering demands drawing on our technical expertise.’

With projects around the world, as well as in France, this is a growing and important sector for renewable energy. Examples of Approvals In Principle (AIPs) issued by BV in 2016 include:

-  September 2016: AIP for floating OTEC platform in the Maldives for the Bardot Group

https://otec.bardotgroup.com/blogs/news/bureau-veritas-approves-floating-otec-by-bardot-group

- April 2016: AIP for WindFloat (floating foundation for a wind turbine) project in the Mediterranean for Principle Power http://www.us.bureauveritas.com/home/news/bureau-veritas-approves-windfloat-foundation

- January 2016: AIP for 1MW OTEC platform in Kiribati for KRISO http://www.bureauveritas.com/home/news/business-news/ocean-thermal-energy-converter-approved-290116

BV’s certification covers entire projects, including farms of multiple units, type approval, components, for concepts, prototypes and for series production. Last year Bureau Veritas issued guidance notes dedicated to specific MRE technologies: Current and Tidal Turbines (BV NI603) and Classification and Certification of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (BV NI572).