This document provides design requirements to ensure the engineering integrity of wave, ocean, tidal and river current energy converters, collectively referred to as marine energy converters. Its purpose is to provide an appropriate level of protection against damage from all hazards that may lead to catastrophic failure of the MEC structural, mechanical, electrical or control systems. Figure 1 illustrates the scope of this document and critical interfaces with other elements of a marine energy converter installation.

This document provides requirements for MEC main structure, appendages, seabed interface, mechanical systems and electrical systems as they pertain to the viability of the device under site-specific environmental conditions. This document applies to MECs that are either floating or fixed to the seafloor or shore and are unmanned during operational periods.

In addition to environmental conditions, this document addresses design conditions (normal operation, operation with fault, parked, etc.); design categories (normal, extreme, abnormal and transport); and limit states (serviceability, ultimate, fatigue and accidental) using a limit state design methodology.

Several different parties may be responsible for undertaking the various elements of the design, manufacture, assembly, installation, erection, commissioning, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of a marine energy converter and for ensuring that the requirements of this document are met. The division of responsibility between these parties is outside the scope of this document.

This document is used in conjunction with IEC and ISO standards cited as normative references, as well as regional regulations that have jurisdiction over the installation site.

This document is applicable to MEC systems designed to operate from ocean, tidal and river current energy sources, but not systems associated with hydroelectric impoundments or barrages. This document is also applicable to wave energy converters. It is not applicable to ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) systems or salinity gradient systems.

Although important to the overall objectives of the IEC 62600 series, this document does not address all aspects of the engineering process that are taken into account during the full system design of MECs. Specifically, this document does not address energy production, performance efficiency, environmental impacts, electric generation and transmission, ergonomics, or power quality.

This document takes precedence over existing applicable standards referred to for additional guidance. This document adheres to a limit state design approach utilizing partial safety factors for loads and materials to ensure MEC reliability in accordance with ISO 2394.

MECs designed to convert hydrokinetic energy from hydrodynamic forces into forms of usable energy, such as electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic may be different from other types of marine systems. Many MECs are designed to operate in resonance or conditions close to resonance. Furthermore, MECs are hybrids between machines and marine structures. The control forces imposed by the power take-off (PTO) and possible forces from faults in the operation of the PTO distinguish MECs from other marine structures.

The document is applicable to MECs at the preliminary design stage to those that have progressed to advanced prototypes and commercial deployment. It is anticipated that this document will be used in certification schemes for design conformity.