MHK Content Models

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has created the Marine and Hydrokinetic Data Repository (MHKDR) to help accelerate the advancement of marine renewable energy technologies. The MHKDR is designed to efficiently collect, store and appropriately disseminate the wealth of valuable information generated from DOE funded and other MHK projects. Benefits will span from focused technology development to broad industry evaluation. Performance trending, resource maps, technology gap identification, lessons learned, and cost analysis are, for example, a few areas that will directly benefit. Decision makers, investors and the MHK community will also have access to information to support decision-making.

The MHKDR strives to:
  1. enable easy data upload process to help with data reporting requirements
  2. provide a curation process to allow internal data experts to help evaluate the quality of the data
  3. keep secure data secure (based on moratorium dates)
  4. securely share data with DOE and national laboratories
  5. share unrestricted data openly

Data to be collected may include field and laboratory measurements, costs, project reports, and video. Content models are tools used to collect a subset of common data in a structured form that allows quick data aggregation between projects. These spreadsheets organize the data in a consistent manner, using standardized units, thereby allowing straightforward assessment and use. The content models are organized by task — i.e., field testing, component development, LCOE, etc.

This effort's success requires the community's engagement in maintaining relevance and a user audience to realize the value of the databases and tools. Feedback for improvement is welcome. Please . The MHKDR is powered by OpenEI.org, an energy information portal sponsored by the DOE and developed by NREL in support of the Open Government Initiative to make energy data transparent, participatory, and collaborative.