MEREX project identifying opportunities for marine companies
A number of promising opportunities have been identified during recent meetings of the Marine Energy Resources, Exploitation & Use (MEREX) Knowledge Network (one of Marine South East's European Projects).
Members of the relevant MEREX Industry Groups will now engage with the appropriate science base organisations to develop the initial ideas towards the creation of new products and services. Marine South East will be facilitating this process by building consortia and developing bids for project funding.
Most recently MEREX has brought together key environmental services and engineering organisations to explore the opportunities for creating additional value from waste streams in ports. Some exciting areas have been proposed for further investigation by the group.
Through MEREX, Marine South East has joined forces with CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science), and other European partners to bid for European funding to develop new hybrid marine propulsion systems. If funded the 'Fish2Energy' partnership will utilise two trawlers for the evaluation of new hybrid propulsion systems and the use of alternative fuels including liquefied natural gas (LNG), biogas, compressed natural gas (CNG), CNG & 4-9 % hydrogen (HCNG) and methanol.
MEREX has also established links with 'HYMAR', an EU supported, collaborative research and development project. Its aim is to develop state of the art marine hybrid systems for displacement vessels up to about 24m in length. HYMAR hybrid systems are being optimised for energy efficiency and are based on design principles which will allow any compliant equipment to be used regardless of supplier.
HYMAR has ambitious targets:
* A reduction in total fuel consumption of 30% and even higher in some types of vessel
* Virtually zero emissions and zero external noise under electric drive
* More on board electrical power providing more consumer choice
* Simple and reliable operation
* Single fuel ( no gas or petrol on board)
The HYMAR project will complete in 2012 but practical results will become available before then.
For the latest information, contact the HYMAR project manager at ICOMIA: ken.wittamore@hymar.org
http://www.hymar.org
To find out more and to register with MEREX please visit http://www.merex.co.uk where you will be prompted to supply some basic information about your organisation and indicate which industry groups are of interest.
