Status of marine current energy conversion in China

Liu, Hongwei and Bahaj, Abubakr S (2021) Status of marine current energy conversion in China. International Marine Energy Journal, 4 (1), 11-23. (doi:10.36688/imej.4.11-23).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Marine current energy conversion (MCEC) technologies are promising renewable energy systems with some full scale and semi-commercial turbines constructedThird Cand deployed in several countries around the world. In this work, we present the status of marine current energy and systems in China and policies geared to support these. Over the past ten years the Chinese government has provided a policy framework and financial supports for the development of MCEC technologies of various design philosophies which has resulted in significant technology deployment at sea. A review of these technologies – which have turbine capacities in the range 20 kW to 650 kW, mostly tested at sea – is presented in the paper. In addition, the paper also discusses Chinese plans for marine energy test sites at sea to support prototype development and testing and concludes with a view of future prospects for the marine energy technology deployment in China.

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Accepted/In Press date: 13 May 2021

Published date: 20 May 2021

Additional Information: Funding Information: Keeping in step with the above policy releases, some funding schemes for marine energy research and development were established. The National Key Research and Development Program of China provided around 80 million RMB (about USD11.9 million) starting from 2010 until now. This support is aimed at solving some key fundamental understanding including the device design, off-grid electricity supply, technology development, and multi-energy comprehensive utilisation [24, 26] where integrated power supply systems, consisting of ocean energy, offshore wind energy, solar energy and energy storage batteries were researched. Funding Information: This article has been subject to single-blind peer review by a minimum of two reviewers. This work was supported by National Key Research and Development Program (2018YFB1501900), the National Science Foundation of China (No.51575477, No. 51775487), and Fundamental Public Welfare project of Zhejiang Province (LGF19E050004). It is also supported by EPSRC grant EP/K012347/1, International Centre for Infrastructure Futures (ICIF). This work forms part of the activities of the Energy and Climate Change Division and the Sustainable Energy Research Group in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton (www.energy.soton.ac.uk), UK. Prof Lui has spent 12 months conducting research with the ECCD team and this work is part of the main outcomes of the secondment. In addition to the main sources of support mentioned in the footnote to the first page, the work was also supported by EPSRC grants EP/N010779/1, City-Wide Analysis to Propel Cities towards Resource Efficiency and Better Wellbeing; EP/K012347/1 Efficient VERsatile Energy Services Solution Through DC; EP/R030391/1 Fortis Unum: Clustering Mini Grid Networks to Widen Energy Access and Enhance Utility Network Resilience; and Innovate UK Project Number: 40582 Demand Side Renewable Agriculture Business Led Enterprise. Funding Information: This work forms part of the activities of the Energy and Climate Change Division and the Sustainable Energy Research Group in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton (www.energy.soton.ac.uk), UK. Prof Lui has spent 12 months conducting research with the ECCD team and this work is part of the main outcomes of the secondment. In addition to the main sources of support mentioned in the footnote to the first page, the work was also supported by EPSRC grants EP/N010779/1, City-Wide Analysis to Propel Cities towards Resource Efficiency and Better Wellbeing; EP/K012347/1 Efficient VERsatile Energy Services Solution Through DC; EP/R030391/1 Fortis Unum: Clustering Mini Grid Networks to Widen Energy Access and Enhance Utility Network Resilience; and Innovate UK Project Number: 40582 Demand Side Renewable Agriculture Business Led Enterprise. Funding Information: Fig.12 depicts the 2 kW turbine with 4 blades optimised for capturing low velocity flows from the sea water column with reported total efficiency (including power coefficient and generator efficiency) of about 0.2. It was supported by the 863 projects programme [37], which was aimed at improving turbine starting performance and underwater seal technology. The 20 kW direct-driven turbine shown in Fig.13 was supported by the National Science & Technology Support Plan Projects with the aim of solving the key problems encountered in long-term in-situ operation and maintenance [36, 38]. The turbine was designed to be free to rotate around the centre beam allowing the turbine to align itself autonomously with flow direction. During 2013, the turbine was tested at sea in Zhaitang island Shandong Province for half a year and the results showed that the turbine could start at around 0.7 m/s. Funding Information: In 2016, NEA and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) jointly released Strategy to Energy Production and Consumption (2016-2030) aiming to push forward the demonstration and development of marine energy technologies [22]. Also in 2016, NEA released Energy Technology Innovation for 13thFive-Year Plan, and key technologies of ocean energy and demonstration of such technologies was stressed in the plan [23]. In the plan ocean energy technologies exclude offshore wind and were defined as wave energy, tidal energy, marine current energy and ocean thermal energy conversion. The first three of these were targeted for deployment and demonstration. Furthermore, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) added marine energy into its strategy research field of 2035 medium-long term science and technology development in order to enhance the support of marine energy converter development [24]. In the recently published 14th five year’s plan and 2035 Vision drafted by Zhoushan City, distributed solar energy, wind energy and marine current energy were specifically put forward in the plan [25]. Funding Information: In 2013 OUC also developed two 50 kW horizontal axis turbines rated at flow speed of 1.5 m/s with a joint electrical pitch system (Fig.16) [43]. The turbines were part of a 500 kW hybrid micro-grid project being commissioned by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and supported by Chinese Marine Renewable Energy Special Fund. The sea trials of the 2×50 kW grid-connected gravity-foundation-based turbines started in 2013. The trails were abandoned after one month of operation due to sealing problems at the location between electrical cable and nacelle [44]. Funding Information: the National Science Foundation of China (No.51575477, No. 51775487), and Fundamental Public Welfare project of Zhejiang Province (LGF19E050004). It is also supported by EPSRC grant EP/K012347/1, International Centre for Infrastructure Futures (ICIF). Publisher Copyright: © 2021, European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Marine energy, Marine turbines, Tidal current energy, Tidal energy in China