MARINERG-I: Marine renewable energy research infrastructure

The aim of MARINERG-i is to become the leading international distributed infrastructure in the marine renewable energy (MRE) sector. Its integrated nature and coordinated approach will accelerate the development of research and deployment of offshore wind, wave, tidal and combined offshore energy technologies, and help maintain Europe as a world leader in this industry. In addition, MARINERG-i will reinforce European scientific and engineering excellence and expertise as its combined facilities represent an indispensable tool for fostering innovation in a wide range of ERM technologies and systems and at all key stages of technology development (TRL 1-9).

The purpose of this INFRADEV proposal is to carry out development work to ensure that MARINERG-i is correctly positioned to meet the criteria necessary to be successful in a future application for inclusion in the ESFRI roadmap. MARINERG-i applied for inclusion in the 2016 roadmap and was identified as an emerging research infrastructure of importance to the European Union. Since the submission of the proposal to the ESFRI 2016 roadmap, the consortium has continued to collaborate and evolve, culminating in the submission of a proposal for the second MaRINET project (MaRINET2) under the Horizon 2020 programme [Infra-IA].

This proposal takes up the comments and recommendations provided in the ESFRI 2016 reviewers’ comments and has also analysed and updated the positioning of the MARINERG-i concept based on the current situation in the sector. In this context, it is proposed:

• Extend the number of Member States involved.
• Create a design study and a scientific plan.
• Develop a business plan including governance, legal, financial and strategic issues.
• Securing greater national support from partners.
• Create and agree on an implementation plan that will produce the proposal to the roadmap.

The consortium consists of partners from Ireland, the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Italy, which will become national nodes.