A partnership with South Korea

Martha Crago, Dalhousie's Vice President, Research, and Sung-Geun Lee, Executive VP, Future Product and Business Development Institute, sign documents in South Korea.

Dalhousie and Korean-based Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate and share leading edge research in the area of renewable energy. Dalhousie’s Vice-President, Research, Martha Crago signed the agreement with representatives of DSME in South Korea Tuesday.

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter was also in South Korea as part of a delegation further strengthening the province’s partnership with DSME. DSME has chosen Trenton, Nova Scotia, for its North American production centre for wind turbine towers and blades.

As a result of these new partnerships, Dalhousie’s Uday Venkatadri will lead research into design, production and manufacturing of wind turbine towers and blades and look at the design and planning issues at the new DSME Trenton facility for the construction of wind turbines. Dr. Venkatadri, professor of industrial engineering at Dalhousie, has received a $25,000 NSERC Engage grant for the research and will work closely with DSME.

“As the company moves forward with its plans to produce wind turbine towers and blades, the research looks at methodologies to design the layout of the (manufacturing) plant,” says Dr. Venkatadri. He will also address production planning that takes into account uncertainties in supply and demand.

DSME, one of the world’s largest ship builders, acquired the American wind turbine engineering company, DeWind Inc., in 2009 and announced plans to expand into the wind power sector. As Nova Scotia has great untapped renewable energy resource potential, and Dalhousie has the expertise to overcome the barriers in reaching this potential, the partnerships are natural fits.

Martha Crago, centre, and Premier Darrell Dexter, to her right, celebrate after the signing.

“What is challenging about this project is that while a building shell does exist at DSME Trenton, there are numerous possibilities for layout and production planning,” explains Dr. Venkatadri. “Personally, my own research is in facilities design and production planning and the DSME project is a perfect fit, because these are two areas where they can use our expertise.”

While this research has already resulted from the relationship, the newly signed MOU is meant to keep the lines clear for future interaction and partnerships and Dalhousie looks forward to the additional collaboration that will follow.

"This (South Korea) trip embodies the kind of productive partnership that government, industry and universities can have,” says Dr. Crago. “This particular partnership has local impact while creating global reach for Nova Scotia. I am very proud of the commitment that DSME and Dalhousie have made to work together in the interest of sustainable energy."

Premier Dexter was equally pleased with the agreement and its prospects for the region.

“Nova Scotia has some of the most aggressive renewable energy targets in North America and today’s MOU between Dalhousie and DSME is another example of the new opportunities between both our regions,” said Premier Dexter. “By signing the MOU, the province now stands to benefit from even more research that will help make us world leaders in renewable energy generation, while helping to grow the economy and create good jobs for people across the province.”