Marine energy OptimiSAtion for system securIty enhanCement (MOSAIC)

Started

Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Energy Models)
Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Energy system analysis)
Renewable Energy Sources(Ocean Energy)
Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution)

Basic and strategic applied research

SOCIAL SCIENCES (Economics and Econometrics)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Computer Science and Informatics)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting
Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Energy modelling)
Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Other Systems Analysis)

Dr D S Coles
University of Plymouth

Standard

EPSRC

01 January 2025

31 December 2027

36 months

£354,234

Energy

South West

Energy and Decarbonisation

Dr D S Coles, University of Plymouth

Project Contact, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
Project Contact, UK Government
Project Contact, Isle of Wight Council
Project Contact, National Grid ESO
Project Contact, Energy Systems Catapult
Project Contact, University of Edinburgh
Project Contact, Lakes College West Cumbria

The National Grid has identified periods of high electricity demand combined with low wind and sun as a key challenge for supply-demand balancing in Great Britain as it transitions to clean, but intermittent renewable power generation. This was evident in Autumn 2021, when a three week period of low wind coincided with a fourfold increase in imported wholesale gas prices, caused by high global gas demand. Consequently, over twenty energy suppliers ceased trading, and energy prices increased, leading to rising fuel poverty. Wind will remain the primary source of renewable power in the UK, but its intermittency means that similar 'wind-droughts' to that seen in 2021 will occur again in the future. Energy systems must be resilient to weather to address the 'trilemma' of generating clean, affordable, secure energy. This research investigates the roles of tidal stream, tidal range and wave energy in overcoming energy security challenges. Energy security is defined as 'the uninterrupted process of securing the amount of energy that is needed to sustain people's lives and daily activities while ensuring its affordability'. MOSAIC builds on recent research that has started to show how tidal stream, tidal range and wave power generation can lead to energy security benefits. Latest estimates indicate that the combined tidal stream, tidal range and wave energy resources around Great Britain can contribute 45% of the UK's current electricity demand. The timing of tidal stream/range power is independent of weather patterns, and instead depends on the positions of the sun, earth and moon, and the rotation of the earth. This characteristic of tidal power means that it can provide reliable electricity supply every day, and that the amount of tidal power generated at any time in the future can be predicted. Co-locating tidal stream and tidal range power plants can lead to a smoothing of the combined power supply, because the two technologies tend to generate power at different times of the tide. Wave power lags wind power to help provide a more stable overall renewable supply. The predictable, reliable, smoothed power generation provided by adopting tidal and wave energy enhances balancing between power supply and demand, reducing the need for costly imported power, energy storage and grid upgrades, for example. The aim of the research is to establish and optimise the contributions of tidal stream, tidal range and wave energy future energy systems to enhance energy security. This will be achieved by building new computer models that simulate the flow of power between components on the national and local electricity grids. The models will be able to optimise the amount of power provided by all generation technologies, including tidal and wave energy, in order to provide energy security. The project will deliver a roadmap that sets out the amount, locations and cost of new tidal/wave energy projects to deliver energy security enhancements between 2035-50. The roadmap will be informed by novel energy system modelling outputs at three different scales based on the energy systems of Great Britain, Wales and the Isle of Wight. The incorporation of three different scales allows the energy system models to simulate and optimise the transmission and distribution grids as well of power generation and energy storage. This novel approach is critical to fully understand the compatibility of different technologies. Results from the research will be communicated to UK Government, the National Grid and the Isle of Wight Council, to inform the design of future energy systems. The models will be freely available for anyone to use. This provides opportunities to establish the suitability of energy system models currently being used to design energy systems, which may over-simplify the simulation and optimisation of tidal stream/range and wave power.

16/07/25