Beaufort on course for summer opening
The ‘topping out’ ceremony marking a construction milestone of the Beaufort Centre in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, keeps the project on target to open later this year.
As home to the world’s largest team of dedicated marine researchers, the centre is set to be an “international leader” and postions Ireland at the “epicentre of research and innnovation in the marine energy industry. This building is a world-class development in the Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster (IMERC),” remarked UCC Beaufort Director, Prof Conchúr Ó Brádaigh.
Prof Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, Director, Beaufort, UCC; Alex White, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and Prof Anita Maguire, Vice-President for Research and Innovation, UCC
Alex White, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, said Ireland had the potential to become the “international focal point” of the marine renewable industry.
“By 2016, government funding for ocean renewable R&D will increase by almost €17 million to over €26 million, and by 2030 this sector could be worth €9 billion and support significant job creation,” he added.
Over 200 jobs have been created in the construction phase of the centre which is set to employ 135 full-time researchers. The SFI Centre for Marine Renewable Energy Ireland (MaREI) will be housed in the building to act as a catalyst to establish a ‘safe, sustainable and profitable marine energy supply for domestic and international markets through its collaborative and integrated approached with academia and industry,’ a statement adds.
Facilities at the 4,700 m2 will include a composite laboratory; an ocean wave basin (25m x 18m x 2m deep) with 40 wave paddles to produce real three-dimensional seas at model scale.
Also included will be mechanical and electrical workshops; a Power Take-Off Laboratory and Energy Storage and Smart-grid labs, as well as industry suites and an incubation space of 200m2 initially.
