The European Marine Energy Center (EMEC) has been contracted by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) to support the construction of its tidal energy test site at Jang-Juk Strait near Jindo Island, Korea.

KIOST is developing a grid-connected tidal energy test site on the Jang-Juk Strait in Korea’s Southwestern Sea. The site of the Korea Tidal Current Energy Center (K-TEC), which will have a grid capacity of 4.5 MW, is scheduled to be operational by 2022.

Having handled the design, development and operation of its four marine test facilities in Orkney over the past 17 years, EMEC has been contracted to provide technical assistance to KIOST.

An EMEC technical report will review the operational elements of the test site design including cable layout, protection and maintenance, data acquisition and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems, electrical infrastructure, and grid connection.

Because the KIOST site is a new construction, EMEC must also evaluate the possibility of any environmental effects associated with tidal energy projects on the marine ecosystem and provide advice on techniques for use at the site for environmental monitoring.

“The K-TEC facility is an important development for the tidal sector, and proof of its growing commercial readiness and expansion beyond Europe. KIOST and Korea have incredibly strong background in ocean science and engineering, and it’s encouraging to see them bring that to the tidal energy sector.

“Enabling marine energy globally is at the core of what we do at EMEC. We’re happy to bring our experience of operating test sites to bear on this project and help make it a success. I’m really excited to see how this facility develops, and we wish great success for our friends at KIOST.”

Rob Flynn, commercial manager at the European Marine Energy Centre.

“I am very pleased that EMEC, which has been operating a marine energy test sites since 2003, and KIOST, which has been conducting tidal energy research since 2001, have been promoting joint research on the K-TEC construction for tidal energy development.

“The convergence of EMEC’s know-how and KIOST’s design technology will make the K-TEC facility a safer and more effective tidal energy converter test site. In addition, it is expected that K-TEC will be able to revitalize the tidal energy industry in Korea and in Asia as well.”

Dr. Jin-Soon Park, director of coastal development and Ocean Energy Research Center, at the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology.