Queen's University Belfast - Strangford Lough

The Queen’s Marine Laboratory (QML) Tidal Test Site in Strangford Lough is a unique facility providing developers the opportunity to deploy and monitor their technology in real tidal flows. Strangford Lough is a large sea loch of approximately 150 km^2 in County Down, NI, with a narrow inlet where fast flowing tides and a confused sea state provide ideal tidal test conditions. Devices can be tested in tidal flows up to 2 m/s in the anchorages and 4m/s in the main channel. The field office is situated in Portaferry, with all facilities required for device testing, including an underwater cable led from the mooring to the lab for device power supply and data acquisition. For enquiries please contact: Dr. Pal Schmitt Email: p.schmitt@qub.ac.uk Dr. Carwyn Frost Email: c.frost@qub.ac.uk

www.qub.ac.uk

Site Manager

Queens University of Belfast

Additional Information

Test Site Website

Device Status Is the test site actively testing or in planning (active)? Or is it permanently closed for business (inactive)?

Active

Energy Resource

Tidal

Duration

2008 - Ongoing

Grid Connectivity

Not Grid Connected

Number of Berths

1

Waterbody

Strangford Lough

Site Characteristics Geographic characterization for the test site location:<ul> <li>Open Ocean: Main body of ocean, not enclosed or partially enclosed by land</li> <li>Coastal: Open water near the coast, spanning between land and shelf boundary</li> <li>Enclosed Bay: water that is partially surrounded by land, with a mouth open to larger water</li> <li>Constricted Channel: A channel where water flows quickly due to narrowing by the land</li> <li>River: Water flowing from land towards a larger body of water</li></ul>

Constricted Channel

Country

Ireland

Site Life Cycle Test Site Progress through life cycle:<ul> <li>Planned: A test site location has been identified and is preparing for operation</li> <li>Operational: The test site is active and ready for device testing</li> <li>Completed: The test site is no longer active</li> <li>Decommissioned: Any installed infrastructure at the test site has been fully removed in accordance with regulations (not all test sites accomplish this)</li> <li>Canceled: The test site was canceled before becoming operational</li></ul>

Operational

Last Modified

24 June 2025

This Test Site has the following MRE Devices

Citation Formats

“Queen&#39;s University Belfast - Strangford Lough.” Marine Energy Projects Database: Test Sites, PRIMRE, United States Department of Energy, https:https://openei.org/wiki/PRIMRE/Databases/Projects_Database/Test_Sites/Queen%27s_University_Belfast_-_Strangford_Lough. Accessed <day> <monthRoman> <year>.

Marine Energy Projects Database: Test Sites. <year>. "Queen&#39;s University Belfast - Strangford Lough." Accessed <monthRoman> <day>, <year>. https:https://openei.org/wiki/PRIMRE/Databases/Projects_Database/Test_Sites/Queen%27s_University_Belfast_-_Strangford_Lough.