Research group

Ocean Energy

Offshore wind turbines producing renewable and green energy

We bring together experts addressing energy challenges from the perspectives of technology, the environment, society, finance, and policy. Our aim is to unlock the potential of ocean renewable energy.

    About

    The Ocean Energy Special Interest Group (SIG) serves as a hub at the University of Southampton for matters related to the role of seas and oceans in decarbonizing the economy. It also helps achieve net-zero goals worldwide.

    Research areas

    Our topics of interest are centred around technological, environmental, societal, financial, and policy challenges related to:

    • harvesting of renewable energies (eg offshore wind, wave, freestream tidal energy, tidal barrages and floating solar systems)
    • storage and transformation of offshore energy (eg energy islands, H2 creation)
    • sustainable decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructures

    Oceans are pivotal in the world strategy to meet the net-zero objectives, by providing abundant and clean sources of renewable energy. However, the full exploitation of this energy resource faces many challenges of diverse nature. These include the harsh offshore environment, sharing the ocean with many stakeholders, and evolving policy and regulations. Most importantly, it is essential to avoid mistakes of the past and wild industrialisation of our seas and oceans.

    Vision and aims

    Our vision is to bring together people and skills from across the university and many fields of research to develop transdisciplinary approaches for sustainable ocean energy exploitation. We do this through:

    • fostering research collaboration between faculties and fields of research
    • fostering collaboration with non-academic stakeholders and serving as a contact point for ocean energy matters
    • raising awareness of ocean energy challenges and showcasing how the University of Southampton is working to address these challenges through research, knowledge exchange and other means

    Activities

    Our events and opportunities are designed in line with the goals we aim to achieve. They include a combination of internal and external activities, such as:

    • themed workshops or lectures bringing together academic and non-academic partners
    • sandpit activities to lay the foundations of interdisciplinary grant application or paper writing
    • invited lectures on case studies from industry
    • development of educational material or media briefings

    To find out more about the Ocean Energy Special Interest Group and what we do, get in touch with group champions Dr Yao Zhang, Dr Luke Myers and Dr Benjamin Cerfontaine.

    Join the SMMI Community to sign up to this group, and any others of interest to you.

    Research highlights

    Making offshore carbon storage safe

    A team of researchers in Southampton played a key role in a European project to determine the viability of safely and securely storing carbon offshore.

    Optimising power transfer for renewable energy

    Our researchers are running a series of projects to optimise the design of marine high voltage cables, used in offshore windfarms, to maximise power transfer and save money.

    People, projects and publications

    People

    Dr Matt Kerr

    Lecturer

    Research interests

    • Nineteenth-century literature and culture
    • Oceanic humanities
    • Waste and rubbish

    Accepting applications from PhD students

    Connect with Matt

    Dr Megen de Bruin-Molé

    Lecturer

    Research interests

    • contemporary remix culture
    • monster studies
    • adaptation
    Connect with Megen

    Ms Mylene Ployaert

    Director of Res Strategy and Funding
    Connect with Mylene

    Dr Neil Wells

    Sen Exp Officer in NMR Spectroscopy

    Research interests

    • Applied NMR Spectroscopy
    • Structural elucidation by NMR Spectroscopy
    Connect with Neil

    Dr Pamela Varley BSocSc, MSc, PhD

    Head of Strategic Research Initiatives
    Connect with Pamela

    Mr Panos Manias

    SMMI-CMMI Marine and Maritime SRA

    Research interests

    • marine decarbonisation
    • utilisation of alternative fuels 
    • powertrain design and subsequent emission modelling
    Connect with Panos

    Professor Paul Kemp

    Professor of Ecological Engineering
    Connect with Paul

    Dr Philip Leadbitter

    Research Fellow (PSDI)

    Research interests

    • Digital lab Notebooks and paperless note-taking
    • Human and technological road blocks to paperless note-taking
    • Use of Autonomous Underwater Platforms to further research in remote ocean regions
    Connect with Philip

    Dr Qin Zhou

    Lecturer in Operations Management

    Research interests

    • Applications: Operations Management: closed-loop supply chain management, production outsourcing, remanufacturing management (authorization and outsourcing), technology innovation, Nash bargaining, contract design.Marketing-Operations Management Interface: trade-in, strategic consumers behaviour, fairness concerns, anticipated regret.Marine Policy: clean technology innovation, abatement decision. Methodologies: Game theory, optimization.

    Accepting applications from PhD students

    Connect with Qin

    Related research institutes, centres and groups

    Related research institutes, centres and groups

    Connect with us

    Enquiries

    If you're interested in joining us or collaborating, get in touch with the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute.