NEMAR
Researching sea energy today, engineering the future
Objectives
The Hydraulic Structures and Marine Energy Research Group (NEMAR) is a research and advanced training group hosted by the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP) and linked to the Hydraulics Laboratory of the Hydraulics, Water Resources and Environment Division. In a global scenario of climate change and resource scarcity, NEMAR aims to contribute to upcoming social and technological challenges by researching and developing marine renewable energy, also known as blue energy. To achieve this general aim, the group has established the following strategic objectives:
- To develop enabling technologies for marine energy exploitation
- To provide engineers and researchers with a multidisciplinary knowledge in the field
- To develop cooperation projects with international and national partners
- To make accessible the technology and acquired know-how to society and industry
- To support public policies in energy and marine resources
The membership of NEMAR is composed of senior and young researchers with different nationalities and expertise in different branches of engineering. Over the last years, they have participated in more than 90 research projects, funded from both European and National sources, and summed a publication record of more than 100 papers in JCR-indexed journals and 150 communications at scientific conferences.
The research disciplines in which NEMAR is currently focused are, among others:
Innovative concepts and solutions for wave energy conversion and offshore structures
Offshore wind foundations
Design of mooring lines
Risk assessment and reliability analysis
Physical modelling in wave tank of marine structures
Numerical modelling with boundary integral equation method (BIEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Wave energy resource assessment
Wave farm location selection and park design
Assessment of the environmental impact of blue energy
Integration of conversion technologies and port structures
Assessment of climate change impacts in coastal zones and maritime structures