table.sponsors img { max-height: 150px !important; }
Skip to main content.

Marine Renewable Energy Conference 2018

Marine Renewable Energy Conference - May 2018

Conference topic

Testing the Waters for Ocean Wind, Wave, Tidal Energy Development in New England

Conference date and time

Wednesday May 16, 2018, 10:30 AM – 6:00PM

Location

UMass Dartmouth Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)

151 Martine Street, Fall River, MA 02723

(free parking is available in front of the building and right across the street)

Presentations & attendees list

Purpose

The purpose of this conference is to bring together representatives of industry, government and research to share updates on the progress, opportunities and challenges of commercializing ocean energy in the US. Ocean energy is seen as a large, untapped frontier with initial successes demonstrated in Europe in the form of large offshore wind farms, with more modest testing and demonstrations of more nascent wave and tidal technologies. There are many risks and high costs to developing devices that can survive in the harsh ocean environment. One fundamental solution to de-risk the development of new technologies is to provide developers with a place to test their devices in the ocean waters, close to shore near infrastructure, a ready supply chain and a capable workforce, to facilitate commercialization.

With recent investments by MassCEC and others in the Wind Technology Test Center; the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal (designed to serve as an assembly area for offshore wind operations) and the newly installed Bourne Tidal Test Site, MA is looking more and more attractive as place for ocean energy device developers to test equipment and manufacture it here for the US and export markets.

Sponsored by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center with assistance from the Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative. Additional organizational sponsors include: Marine and Oceanographic Technology Network, Marine Technology Society, others.

Who should attend?

This conference will provide attendees (device developers, supply chain participants, workforce planners, investors and interested citizens) with a snap shot of what is going on in ocean energy in MA and New England.  There will be plenty of time for networking and information exchange.  Technical posters will be displayed by students and faculty.

Agenda

TimeAgenda
10:30am

Registration & Coffee

University Research Posters on Display throughout Conference

See Call-for-Poster Abstract below

11:00am Welcome: Roger Race, Innovation Program Developer at Boston Engineering
11:05am Intros and Overview: Dr. Steven Lorenz, Dean, UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology
11:15am

Keynote Address: Galen Nelson, Sr. Director Innovation & Industry Support, MassCEC Overview of what the State of MA is thinking with regards to creating a business environment for clean energy technology development. Specifically, Ocean Energy (wind, tides, waves)

12:00pm Lunch & Networking

University Research Posters on Display throughout Conference

See Call-for-Poster Abstract below

1:15pm

Panel 1: State of the Ocean Energy Playing field in New England

• Session Chair: Maggie Merrill, Marine Marketing Services and MRECo
• Offshore wind: Richard Andre, President - Vineyard Wind 
• Ocean Waves: William Staby, President and CEO, Resolute Marine
• Tidal Energy: David Duquette, President Littoral Systems

2:15pm

Coffee Break & Networking

University Research Posters on Display throughout Conference

2:30pm

Panel 2: NE Assets to Support Ocean Energy Development

• Session Chair: Elise Korejwa, Sr. Research Associate, UMD Public Policy Center
• Training: Megan Amsler: Self Reliance, Inc.
• Tech and Maritime support (Cables, Instrumentation, Sensors): Rhonda Moniz,Hydroid, MOTN/MTS
• Structural design and manufacturing: Carl Horstmann, MassTank 

3:30pm

Panel 3: Testing Infrastructure for Ocean Energy

• Session Chair: John Miller, Executive Director, MRECo
• MA Wind Technology Test Center: George Blagdon, Technical Manager MA Wind Technology Test Center
• MREC Bourne Tidal Test Site: Eben Franks, MRECo Operations and Site Manager
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy; Hung "Tom" Pham, Director Center for Renewable and Responsible Energy (CRRE)

4:30pm

Regional incubator to global market: Lessons along the path to commercialization by John Ferland, President and COO ORPC,Inc.

5:00pm

Refreshments & Networking

University Research Posters on Display throughout Conference

Call for Technical Poster Abstracts

This one day conference aims to bring together ocean energy businesses, developers , government folks to look at what testing facilities and infrastructure are available and needed to bring ocean energy systems to commercial levels right here in the Commonwealth.

Conference

Testing the Waters for Ocean Wind, Wave and Tidal Energy Development in New England

Date & Time

Wednesday May 16, 2018 10:30 AM – 6:00PM

Location

Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; 151 Martine Street, Fall River, MA

Due Date

Submit poster abstract no later than FRIDAY MAY 11, 2018 to conference manager, Maggie Merrill at maggielmerrill@gmail.com

Format

300 word description with figures and/or entire poster is acceptable as an abstract if one exists already. Be sure to include, full title of abstract/research topic, poster presenter (s) full names, university/college affiliation, email address, text/cell number.

Topics to include

Test and evaluation of ocean wind, wave and tidal parameters

Ocean wind, wave, tidal energy device innovations

Small scale ocean wind, wave, tidal devices in need of testing prior to commercialization

Other related topics will be considered.

Display instructions

The posters will be displayed in reception area all day at the conference. Poster authors are expected to stand by their posters during the registration, coffee breaks, part of lunch (you can certainly eat lunch!) and during the reception. Student and faculty poster authors are provided free admission to the conference which includes free parking, refreshments and lunch.

Event sponsors/organizers

Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship MassCEC Logo
Marine and Oceanographic Technology Network MTS Logo
Back to top of screen