Reference Model Project (RMP) : Sandia Energy

Sandia Energy > Programs > Renewable Energy > Water Power > Projects > Reference Model Project (RMP)

The Reference Model Project (RMP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), was a partnered effort to develop open-source marine hydrokinetic (MHK) point designs as reference models (RMs) to benchmark MHK technology performance and costs, and an open-source methodology for design and analysis of MHK technologies, including models for estimating their capital costs, operational costs, and levelized costs of energy. The RMP project team, led by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), included a partnership between DOE, three national laboratories, including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the Applied Research Laboratory of Penn State University, and Re Vision Consulting.

The six reference models illustrated below were developed:

Reference Model Illustrations

Graphic of Tidal Current Turbine — Click to view full-size image in a new tab.

Graphic of River Current Turbine — Click to view full-size image in a new tab.

Graphic of Wave Point Absorber — Click to view full-size image in a new tab.

Graphic of Ocean Current Turbine — Click to view full-size image in a new tab.

Graphic of Oscillating Surge Flap — Click to view full-size image in a new tab.

Graphic of Oscillating Water Column — Click to view full-size image in a new tab.

Downloads, Related Studies, and Supporting Documentation

Open-source research products for these reference models are available for download below. Along with supporting documentation, these products facilitate research and development (R&D) studies by industry, academia, and national laboratories. These products include:

A detailed methodology for design and analysis of MHK devices and estimation of capital and operational costs, and levelized cost of energy (LCOE);
Design specifications and SolidWorks™ geometry files for each reference model device to allow exact replication for physical and numerical modeling studies;
Reference resource site information for designing MHK devices;
Physical model data sets for validating design modeling tools;
Spreadsheets with cost breakdown structures for calculating the LCOE for single devices and multiple unit arrays;
Logic models that provide environmental compliance requirements and methods for estimating their costs.

RMP products are also intended to be used by other MHK stakeholders such as government agencies to inform decision making and permitting-process development.

Reference Model Documents Download

Please complete the form below to download the Reference Model Documents. These are collected for reporting purposes to our sponsor.

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Fact Sheet

Neary, Vincent (2015). DOE Reference Model Project. SAND2019-6109 M

Reports

V. Neary, M. Previsic, R. Jepsen, M. Lawson, Y. Yu, A. Copping, A. Fontaine, K. Hallett, D. Murray (2014). Methodology for Design and Economic Analysis of Marine Energy Conversion (MEC) Technologies. SAND2014-9040

V. Neary, B. Gunawan, C. Michelen, A. Fontaine, P. Bachant, M. Wosnik, B. Straka, R. Meyer (2013). US Department of Energy (DOE) National Lab Activities in Marine Hydrokinetics: Scaled Model Testing of DOE Reference Turbines. SAND2013-7241

A.E. Copping, S.H. Geerlofs (2011). The Contribution of Environmental Siting and Permitting Requirements to the Cost of Energy for Marine and Hydrokinetic Devices.

M. Previsic (2011). Economic Methodology for the Evaluation of Emerging Renewable Technologies

Main Report

Reference Site Resource

Brian Polagye (2012). Reference Model 1–Tidal Energy: Resource

Performance

G. Bir, M. Lawson, Y. Li (2011). Structural Design of a Horizontal-axis Tidal Current Turbine Composite Blade

M.J. Lawson, Y. Li, D.C. Sale (2011). Development and Verification of a Computational Fluid Dynamics Model of a Horizontal-axis Tidal Current Turbine

Structural Analysis

Refer to: V. Neary, M. Previsic, R. Jepsen, M. Lawson, Y. Yu, A. Copping, A. Fontaine, K. Hallett, D. Murray (2014). Methodology for Design and Economic Analysis of Marine Energy Conversion (MEC) Technologies, SAND2014-9040.

Power Conversion Chain Design

Mike J. Beam, Brian I. Kline, William Straka, Arnold A. Fontaine, Michael Lawson, Ye Li, Robert Thresher, Mirko Previsic (2012). Marine Hydrokinetic Turbine Power-Take-Off Design for Optimal Performance and Low Impact on Cost-of-Energy

Experimental

C. Hill, V. S. Neary, B. Gunawan, M. Guala, F. Sotiropoulos (2014). U.S. Department of Energy Reference Model Program RM1: Experimental Results. SAND2014-18783R.

Environmental

Cost & Economic

Mirko Previsic (2012). Reference Model 1 Cost Breakdown Structure for Tidal Current Device

3D CAD Geometry Files

(2014) RM1 SolidWorks Files. SAND2014-3092W.

Main Report

Reference Site Resource

V. Neary (2011). Reference Inflow Characterization for River Resource Reference Model: Reference Model 2 (RM2)

Performance

M. Barone, T. Griffith, J. Berg (2011). Reference Model 2: ‘Rev 0’ Rotor Design. SAND2011-9306.

P. Bachant, M. Wosnik1, B. Gunawan, V. Neary (2016). Experimental Study of a Reference Model Vertical-Axis Cross-Flow Turbine.

Structural Analysis

Power Conversion Chain Design

Mooring Design

Experimental

Craig Hill, Vince Neary, Budi Gunawan, Michele Guala, Fotis Sotiropoulos (2014). U.S. Department of Energy Reference Model Program RM2: Experimental Results. SAND2014-16561R.

Environmental

Cost & Economic

Mirko Previsic (2012). Cost Breakdown Structure for River Current Device

3D CAD Geometry Files

Main Report

Reference Site Resource

J. Berg (2011). Extreme Ocean Wave Conditions for Northern California Wave Energy Conversion Device. SAND2011-9304.

M. Previsic, J. Berg (2010). Wave Energy Resource and Site Characterization

Performance

Structural Analysis

Power Conversion Chain Design

Mooring Design

Experimental

Y. -H. Yu, M. Lawson, Y. Li, M. Previsic, J. Epler, J. Lou (2015). Experimental Wave Tank Test for Reference Model 3 Floating Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter Project. NREL/TP-5000-62951. Golden, CO, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). January 2015.

M. Previsic, K. Shoele, J. Epler (2014). Validation of Theoretical Performance Results using Wave Tank Testing of Heaving Point Absorber Wave Energy Conversion Device working against a Subsea Reaction Plate

Y.-H. Yu, M. Lawson, K. Ruehl, and C. Michelen (2014). Development and Demonstration of the WEC-Sim Wave Energy Converter Simulation Tool.

K. Ruehl, C. Michelen, S. Kanner, M. Lawson, and Y.-H. Yu (2014). Preliminary Verification and Validation of WEC-Sim, an Open Source Wave Energy Converter Design Tool. SAND2014-2161.

Y.-H. Yu and Y. Li (2013). RANS Simulation of the Heave Performance of a Two-Body Floating-Point Absorber Wave Energy System.

Environmental

Cost & Economic

Mirko Previsic (2012). Cost Breakdown Structure for WEC Rated at 286 kW

3D CAD Geometry Files

Main Report

Reference Site Resource

M. Previsic, J. Berg (2010). Wave Energy Resource and Site Characterization

Performance

Structural Analysis

Power Conversion Chain Design

Mooring Design

Experimental

Environmental

Cost & Economic

Mirko Previsic (2012). Cost Breakdown Structure for Ocean Current Device

3D CAD Geometry Files

Main Report

Yu et al. (2015). Reference Model 5: Oscillating Surge Wave Energy Converter. NREL/TP-5000-62861. Golden, CO, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). January 2015.

Reference Site Resource

A. Dallman, V. Neary (2014). Characterization of U.S. Wave Energy Converter (WEC) Test Sites: A Catalogue of Met-Ocean Data. SAND214-18206.

Performance

Refer to: Yu et al. (2015). Reference Model 5: Oscillating Surge Wave Energy Converter. NREL/TP-5000-62861. Golden, CO, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). January 2015.

Y.-H. Yu, M. Lawson, K. Ruehl, and C. Michelen (2014). Development and Demonstration of the WEC-Sim Wave Energy Converter Simulation Tool.

Y. Yu, Y. Li, K. Hallett, and C. Hotimsky (2014). Design and Analysis for a Floating Oscillating Surge Wave Energy Converter.

Structural Analysis

Refer to: Yu et al. (2015). Reference Model 5: Oscillating Surge Wave Energy Converter. NREL/TP-5000-62861. Golden, CO, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). January 2015.

Power Conversion Chain Design

Yu et al. (2015). Reference Model 5: Oscillating Surge Wave Energy Converter. NREL/TP-5000-62861. Golden, CO, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). January 2015.

Mooring Design

Yu et al. (2015). Reference Model 5: Oscillating Surge Wave Energy Converter. NREL/TP-5000-62861. Golden, CO, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). January 2015.

Experimental

Yu et al. (2015). Reference Model 5: Oscillating Surge Wave Energy Converter. NREL/TP-5000-62861. Golden, CO, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). January 2015.

Environmental

A.E. Copping, S. H. Geerlofs, L A. Hanna (2014). The Contribution of Environmental Siting and Permitting Requirements to the Cost of Energy for Wave Energy Devices- Reference Model #5

Cost & Economic

Jenne, S. (2014). RM5 Component Cost and LCOE Calculations Spreadsheet

3D CAD Geometry Files

Main Report

Bull, D., Smith, C., Jenne, D. S., Jacob, P., Copping, A., Willits, S., Fontaine, A., Brefort, D., Copeland, G., Gordon, M., Jepsen, R. (2014). Reference Model 6 (RM6): Oscillating Wave Energy Converter. SAND2011-18311.

Reference Site Resource

J. Berg (2011). Extreme Ocean Wave Conditions for Northern California Wave Energy Conversion Device. SAND2011-9304.

M. Previsic, J. Berg (2010). Wave Energy Resource and Site Characterization

Performance

Refer to: Bull, D., Smith, C., Jenne, D. S., Jacob, P., Copping, A., Willits, S., Fontaine, A., Brefort, D., Copeland, G., Gordon, M., Jepsen, R. (2014). Reference Model 6 (RM6): Oscillating Wave Energy Converter

Structural Analysis

Copeland, G., Bull, D., Jepsen, R., Gordon, M. (2014). Oscillating Water Column Structural Model

Absorbed Power

D. Bull (2014). Pneumatic Performance of a Non-Axisymmetric Floating Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Conversion Device in Random Waves

D. Bull, E. Johnson (2013). Optimal Resistive Control Strategy for a Floating OWC Device. Sand2013-6198C.

Power Conversion Chain Design

C. Smith, D. Bull, S. Willits, A. Fontaine (2014). Optimization and Annual Average Power Predictions of a Backward Bent Duct Buoy Oscillating Water Column Device Using the Wells Turbine

Smith, C., Willits, S., Fontaine, A., Bull, D. (2014). Optimization and Annual Average Power Predictions of a Backward Bent Duct Buoy Oscillating Water Column Device Using the Wells Turbine. SAND2014-16896R.

Mooring Design

D. Bull, P. Jacob (2012). Methodology for creating nonaxisymmetric WECs to screen mooring designs using a Morison Equation approach. SAND2013-7270C.

D. Brefort, D. Bull (2013). Mooring Design for the Floating Oscillating Water Column Reference Model. SAND2014-17817.

Experimental