Standards and Certification of Marine Energy Conversion Systems

Authors

  • Rick Williams Portland State University and IEC TC114
  • Winston D'Souza Lloyd's Register
  • Phil Beauchamp PB Mechanical Consulting Services, LLC
  • Arielle Cardinal National Renewable Energy Laboratory
  • Jonathan Colby Streamwise Development, LLC
  • Bill Staby Bluewater Network, LLC

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36688/ewtec-2025-1054

Keywords:

Marine Energy Converters, IEC TC114, IECRE, IEA-OES

Abstract

The commercial success of emerging industries, such as marine energy, can be enhanced in the eyes of investors, insurers, regulatory authorities, end users, and public stakeholders by adherence to international standards, conformity assessment, and certification proctocols. Standards and certification are internationally-recognized methods the verify the safety and performance of renewable energy equipment and services.

The exponential rise in the development of marine energy technologies now makes it one of the fastest growing clean energy-production industries. An abundance of marine energy technologies and designs are available to harness energy from clean, renewable resources. Marine energy technologies include Wave, Tidal, Ocean Current, River Current and Ocean Thermal Energy Converters.

In 2007, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) established Technical Committee (TC) 114,  “Marine energy – Wave, tidal and other water current converters”, to develop international standards for marine energy converter (MEC) technologies that provide electrical energy and other outputs such as desalinated seawater and heat exchange. Tidal barrage and dam hydraulic turbines are covered by IEC/TC 4. IEC standards are developed through consensus by subject matter experts who represent many countries and are then approved and published by globally recognized standards bodies including the IEC. Standards  comprise rules, guidelines, processes, or characteristics that allow users to repeatedly achieve the same outcome.

In 2014, the IEC Renewable Energy System (IECRE) was established to develop conformity assessment protocols to achieve internationally-recognized certifications. The IECRE process for certification for any technology involves Verification and Validation. Verification is an assessment of a technology against a defined set of Standards or Codes through a design review. Validation is an assessment of a technology against the same set of Standards or Codes through testing. These activities are led by an IECRE accepted renewable energy certification body (RECB), often in conjunction with an IECRE accepted test laboratory. With regards to marine energy, the IECRE is responsible for developing and managing a framework where these technologies can be independently verified and validated.

For example, following the IEC 62600-4 Technical Specification for Technology Qualification, an IECRE RECB with a scope for delivering technology qualification services, provides a gateway for these technologies to progress towards certification. This includes a robust assessment of the systems and subsystems of marine energy technologies, as well as the quality of integration between them and external sytems they are expected to interface with.

IEC TC 114 and IECRE provide liaison with IEA-OES to collaborate on policy and development, as evidenced by the issue of the IEA-OES, IEC TC 114 and IECRE joint publication “Supporting Ocean Energy Technology Development and Commercialization: Coherent Application of Guidance, Standards and Certification”.

This presentation will discuss progress to date in IEC international standards for marine energy and IECRE conformity assessment and certification. As of January 2025, IEC/TC 114 has 205 Subject Matter Experts representing 18 participating member countries and 12 observer member countries and 15 consensus-based Technical Specifications. TC 114 is evolving the title and scope of work from a focus on marine energy converters to marine energy conversion systems.

Author Biographies

  • Rick Williams, Portland State University and IEC TC114

    Rick Williams, PMP, NPDP, MBA, Captain US Navy (Retired)

    Rick is the IEC TC-114 and IECRE Marine Energy Liaison to IEA-OES. He is a multi-disciplinary engineer, career mariner, systems and ocean engineering practitioner, and academic with over 42 years of operational experience. He is the Founder of Oregon Applied Research, LLC, where he provides executive and management consulting on complex programs as Chief Technology Officer.

    Rick is the Co-Convener of the IEC Technical Specification for Marine Energy Design Requirements (TS 62600-2) and a delegate and subject matter expert to IECRE. He was the winner of the IEC1906 award for his contribution towards the development of technical documents supporting the standards and certification of marine energy technologies.

    Rick is a doctoral student at Portland State University in the Public Administration and Policy PhD program researching resilience governance. He holds appointments as a Senior Fellow in the Center for Public Service researching disaster resilience and serves as adjunct graduate faculty teaching courses in Energy and Society and Strategies for Resilience focused on disaster preparedness.    

    Captain Williams served in the US Navy for 26 years as an unrestricted line officer in surface ships and submarines. He is a Fellow of the Marine Technology Society and Fellow Emeritus of The Explorers Club. Fun facts: dove to 20,000 feet to the bottom of the Middle America Trench (and back) in command of Deep Submergence Vehicle SEA CLIFF and led two North Pole Expeditions in command of the nuclear fast attack submarine USS SPADEFISH. He served as a first responder on Mt Hood Ski Patrol for 14 years as alpine patroller, Hill Captain, and Timberline Area Patrol Chief.

    Rick holds a bachelor's degree (honors) in Construction Engineering Management from Oregon State University including studies in ocean engineering. He was designated as a US Navy Technical Subspecialist (MS degree equivalent) in Naval-Mechanical Engineering and Technical Subspecialist in  Naval-Nuclear Propulsion. He graduated from the US Naval Nuclear Power Program Prospective Commanding Officer Course, the San Diego State University Executive Master of Business Administration with a concentration in strategic planning, and the Advanced Program Management Course at the Defenses Systems Management College. He holds graduate certificates in General Management and Energy Policy and Management has completed all course work for the Public Administration and Policy PhD at Portland State University.

  • Winston D'Souza, Lloyd's Register

    Dr Winston D'Souza is the Global Renewables Technical Authority at Lloyds' Register, a global marine and offshore classification, verification, and certification body. Winston also leads a portfolio of Wind and Marine energy projects at the only IECRE accepted RECB for wind and marine energy.

    A chartered engineer with over twenty years cross discipline technical and management experience, Winston previously led the delivery of several projects involving multiple engineering disciplines. Winston graduated with an Honours degree in Electronics and Communication engineering and subsequently achieved a doctorate in the Application of Artificial Neural Networks at the University of Aberdeen, UK.

    Winston is the Convener of IECRE Marine Energy working groups. He is responsible for leading the development of marine energy operational documents to support the international conformity assessment system. Winston also the Convenor for the IEC marine energy standard for Technology Qualification (IEC 62600-4) and was the winner of the IEC1906 award for his contribution towards the development of technical documents supporting the certification of marine energy technologies.

  • Phil Beauchamp, PB Mechanical Consulting Services, LLC

    Dr Beauchamp is proprietor of PB Mechanical Consulting Services which promotes development of Marine Energy and Desalination Systems through active involvement in International Standards, as well as consulting on proprietary data protection systems.

    Dr Beauchamp is actively engaged in IEC/TC 114 and its associated USNC Technical Advisory Group (TAG). He is currently Deputy TA for the USNC TAG and a Convenor on IEC/TC 114 Advisory Group 2. Dr Beauchamp received the IEC 1906 Award in 2017 for work in improving TC 114 terminology consistency.

    Dr Beauchamp was formerly with General Electric for 36+ years before retiring from his role as GE Critical Information Protection Leader. Before that he was Manager of the Mechanical Integration & Operability Lab at GE Global Research, which focused on issues associated with mechanical systems integration in harsh environments. This role and his participation on the Marine & Hydrokinetic Energy Technology Assessment Committee for the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine lead to his involvement in Marine Energy.

    Dr. Beauchamp received a dual bachelor’s degree in Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering from Syracuse University, a numerical methods focused master’s degree from the University of Arizona, a master’s degree in Aeronautics & Astronautics from MIT, and a doctorate from Boston University.

     

  • Arielle Cardinal, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Arielle Cardinal is the program coordinator for the NREL Water Power Program. She is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the planning, management, execution, and reporting of all work associated with the Water Power Program at the National Wind Technology Center. Cardinal also served as the administrator to the U.S. Technical Advisory Group of the International Electrotechnical Commission's Technical Committee 114: Marine energy – Wave, tidal and other water converters. Prior to joining NREL, she worked in the hospitality sector, developing her customer service and business management skills. 

  • Jonathan Colby, Streamwise Development, LLC

    Jonathan Colby is the President and Founder of Streamwise Development, a client-driven consultancy focused on enabling innovation and commercialization in the renewable energy industry.

    Mr. Colby is actively involved in Standards and Conformity Assessment in the IEC. He serves as the Chair to IEC/TC 114 (Marine Energy) and as the Convener of the IECRE Marine Energy Sector Working Group, among other international and national roles. Mr. Colby was awarded the IEC 1906 Award for his work with the IECRE in 2015.

    Mr. Colby was previously with Verdant Power for 15+ years, most recently as the Director of Technology Performance. While with Verdant, Mr. Colby supported a broad range of activities to successfully demonstrate tidal energy generation in the United States and abroad. Mr. Colby has significant experience in the operation of grid-connected tidal energy converters, including the assessment of power performance. He played a lead role at Verdant’s Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) Project, the first tidal energy project to receive a federal commercial license in the United States.

    Mr. Colby holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree from the College of Aerospace Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

     

     

  • Bill Staby, Bluewater Network, LLC

    Bill Staby is the founder and Principal of Bluewater Network, LLC, a consulting firm that helps early-stage companies and entrepreneurs design and implement innovative business plans; helps enterprises identify and adopt circular economy principles that deliver tangible social, environmental, and economic benefits; and assists communities with resiliency and disaster recovery planning initiatives.

    Mr. Staby is the founder and former CEO of Resolute Marine Energy which was developing and testing a technology that provided clean water for communities in developing countries and islands. Mr. Staby is a director of the New England Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative and a director of the Caribbean Desalination Association. Mr. Staby is the Head of the U.S. delegation to IEC TC-114 in Geneva, Switzerland where he assists in the development of standards and certification protocols for the marine energy industry.

    Prior to RME, Mr. Staby had a successful 17-year career as an investment banker and investment officer for well-known global financial institutions including Credit Suisse, Xerox Corporation, Rabobank, and Prudential Securities. In his free time, Bill is a volunteer mentor for maritime startups through the Boston-based incubator/accelerator Sea-Ahead and the Rhode Island-based RIHub venture mentoring service.

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Published

2025-09-08

Issue

Vol. 16 (2025): Proceedings of the European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference

Track

Markets, financing, certification and standardization

Categories

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Copyright (c) 2025 European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference

Some rights reserved. Please see https://ewtec.org/proceedings/ for more details.

How to Cite

[1]
“Standards and Certification of Marine Energy Conversion Systems”, Proc. EWTEC, vol. 16, Sep. 2025, doi: 10.36688/ewtec-2025-1054.