Tidal stream and run-of-river energy has long been recognised as a valuable renewable energy alternative to carbon intensive sources of electricity which still dominate global supply. However, at more than twice the cost of offshore wind and more than four times the cost of onshore wind, the high capital and operational costs associated with this technology present a significant market barrier to deployment in developed and developing countries. This innovative project will tackle the challenge of high costs by exploring the transfer of technology from the established ship propulsion industry. The project will work backwards from acceptable investor financial returns to a set target capital and operational budgets for the key systems in tidal turbines and will focus on the development of reduced cost systems for incorporation in small 50-250kW, lowtech turbines focused on markets in developing countries.

Propeller with Adjustable Thrust for Reducing Operational Losses "PATROL" is a project led by Teignbridge Propellers International in partnership with; University of Warwick manufacturing group (WMG) and iNetic. This pre-deployment trial-based feasibility study will develop a cutting-edge, fully electric azimuthing podded drive with an automated control system to adjust the thrust loading on the propeller blade to improve propulsion efficiency and reduce emissions from marine vessels. Our project aims to create a novel and impactful electric propulsion system utilising an azimuth pod design with a highly efficient propeller system featuring adjustable control surfaces. This initiative will integrate a compact electric motor and transmission propulsion driveline with advanced inverters and a DC power system, coupled with the azimuth pod, to develop an effective, efficient, and versatile drive suitable for medium power applications like workboats. The innovation of merging this new propeller with an electric drive results in total energy consumption improvements that surpass the individual efficiency gains of each component. These advancements are expected to significantly reduce emissions using battery electrical storage and decrease the amount of material (battery, mass, and power) needed by enhancing energy utilisation and efficiency. In order for the International Maritime Organisation and the UK government to meet their targets of 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 (compared to 2008 levels), technologies such as PATROL must be developed in order to reduce carbon emitted by hydrocarbon burning vessels which currently dominate marine transportation. In addition, PATROL project's on-board data gathering and control system supports the UK Government's and the Department for Transport (DfT) plans for developing smart shipping in the maritime sector. This project could strengthen and enhance the UK's reputation as a leading maritime country in the field of electric propulsion and autonomous vessels.

This is a collaborative project between; * Optima Projects * Seabird Technologies * Teignbridge Propellers * Edwards & Renouf * Fawley Waterside Optima are developing an innovative range of electric boats for the leisure marine market and for commercial applications such as water taxis. Optima have developed an ultra-efficient hull that significantly reduces energy consumption, enabling much greater range to be achieved under battery power compared to other electric boats, whilst still providing a top speed of 15-20 knots. This project develops and optimises a 13m version of the Optima hull suitable for both leisure and commercial applications. Range under battery power is up to 150 miles with much greater comfort and safety compared to a conventional planing hull. This project will sea-trial and demonstrate the 10.5m test boat built during CMDC2\. This boat will then be fitted with enhancements including foil-assistance, ultra-efficient propellors and low-friction clean antifoul coatings. Further sea trials and demonstrations will then be carried out to assess the effectiveness of this new developments. The boats include a very efficient and lightweight FRP composite structure highly optimised using computer modelling and finite element analysis to minimise weight, maximise efficiency and reduce cost. Fawley Waterside are building a whole new town with 1500 homes and significant marine industry space at the entrance to Southampton Water. This location has limited road infrastructure and alternative means of sustainable transport via the water is critical to the overall success of the development, providing transport links for workers, visitors and residents alike. This project will represent a major advance in sustainability in the marine industry and in the Solent region. The through-life cost of ownership of electric leisure boats will be significantly lower than a comparable conventional powerboat and will encourage engagement from a wider and more diverse customer base. The proposed fleet of water taxis will provide flexible on-demand services, able to operate at high occupancy levels and with zero emissions and low running costs. The boats may be manufactured, stored and maintained at the Fawley site, bringing new high value jobs to the area and establishing new businesses with significant growth and export potential.

In the same way that the airline industry has benefit from the use of composite materials to reduce fuel emissions, the marine transport can take advantage of many of the same characteristics and more, to enable clean shipping. This feasibility study focuses on the efficiency savings and upscaling that can be achieved through the application of composite materials across a maritime propulsion system. Not only will this directly reduce greenhouse emissions and enable the transition to low emission and zero carbon energy systems such as batteries, fuel cells or hydrogen, but it will also grow the national maritime supply chain, provide more UK jobs and benefit the economy through increased exports. Teignbridge Propellers International is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of bronze-cast precision performance propellers, stern-gear and propulsion products. Teignbridge will apply their maritime industry expertise to improved design and modelling of a scalable propulsion system with propeller diameter up to 6m. The National Composites Centre, as a core part of the core High Value Manufacturing Catapult, aim to accelerate the growth of UK industrial output by enabling design and manufacturing enterprises to deliver winning solutions in the application of composites. This project partner will bring their expertise to support this new application of composites through material selection, manufacturing process selection, composite design techniques and testing guidance. The main output of this feasibility study will be a preliminary design for a composite propulsion system, maximising the opportunities and benefits of composite materials to improve efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enable the use of low density and zero carbon fuels. The commercialised propulsion system will help maintain the UK as a major maritime nation, growing the UK supply chain through improved and competitive products that target the global shift towards zero emission shipping. This will result in more UK jobs and further economic benefits from increased exports. The study will also produce the route-to-market business case, plan and investment requirements for progressing the upscaled propulsion system design through to demonstrator phase on a UK vessel. The business case will consider not just the on-vessel emissions savings but also an assessment of the materials and processes used across the lifecycle of the propulsion system to truly understand the sustainability of the proposed solution.

Marine transport is a highly efficient method of transporting goods and people around the planet and with over 70% of global trade transported by sea, forms a critical system within the global economy. Whilst marine transport is highly energy efficient (kilograms of CO2-equivalent emitted per kilograms of goods moved), it is a difficult system from which to remove greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Decarbonising marine transport in order to contribute to the UK's net zero by 2050 and the International Maritime Organisation's 50% reduction by 2050 targets is a challenging and multifaceted problem that requires new technology to improve energy efficiency and replace onboard energy storage with low GHG alternatives. This project seeks to address the energy efficiency aspect of the challenge and in so doing, to reduce GHG emissions associated with traditional fuels and make alternative, lower energy density storage solutions such as batteries and hydrogen more accessible. Teignbridge has undertaken initial development activity on an innovative, patent pending, high-efficiency controllable pitch propeller (CPP) solution which reduces capital cost by 24% compared to competing CPP technologies. This project will set out to bring this technology closer to market from its current, proof of concept prototyping stage through to at-sea demonstration of the technology on HRV1, a unique propulsion system test vessel. In the same way that using multi-speed gearing can be used to improve land transport efficiency by ensuring that the prime mover can be operated at close to maximum efficiency across the range of the loading conditions of the vehicle, CPPs provide continuous variation in effective gearing between the prime mover and propulsion system thrust. Previous studies have shown that accurate matching of CPP control algorithms to vessels with highly variable duty cycles can improve efficiency by between 8% to 20% when compared to fixed pitch propeller (FPP) alternatives. The principal barrier to entry for this technology is cost. A key target of this project will be to bring the technology within reach of a much larger portion of the marine transport market. Teignbridge has been designing and manufacturing propellers in Newton Abbot (UK) for over 45 years and is a trusted partner for high quality propellers and stern gear equipment. In addition to in-house expertise for the design, manufacture and sale of propulsion equipment, Teignbridge's reputation and market presence maximises the chance of rapid market uptake and therefore impact on the marine transport GHG emission reduction targets.