Cuan has worked on the development of marine renewable energy technologies for over 15 years. He has extensive experience of all aspects of marine energy device development ranging from small-scale testing through to full-scale prototype testing. He has developed a specific expertise in implementing state-of-the-art instrumentation, data acquisition and real-time data management systems tailored for the marine energy industry.

In recent years, Cuan has been the lead scientist instrumental in developing novel techniques for the environmental and performance monitoring of Tidal Energy devices using Accoustic Doppler Current Profilers, centred around his involvement with the Seagen Tidal Turbine currently operated in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland by UK company Marine Current Turbines.

Cuan has published in the research and development of marine renewable energy, some of which are listed below. Cuan represents Ireland as principal expert on the IEC committee for the Resource Assessment of Tidal Energy Converters.

• Heath, T.V., Whittaker, T.J.T. & Boake, C.B. (2000) Design, Construction and Operation of the LIMPET Wave Energy Converter (Islay, Scotland), 4th European Wavepower Conference, Denmark
• Boake, C.B., Thompson, A., Whittaker, T.J.T. and Folley, M. [2001] Integrated System Design for Remote Communication, Data Acquisition and Control of the LIMPET Wave Energy Device, REMIC, Belfast, UK
• Folley, M.*, Curran, R., Boake, C.B. and Whittaker, T.J.T. [2002] Performance investigations of the LIMPET counter-rotating Wells turbine, Marine Renewable Energy Conference, Newcastle, UK
• Whittaker, T.J.T.*, Beattie, W., Folley, M., Boake, C.B., Wright, A., Osterried, M. and Heath, T. [2003] Performance of the LIMPET wave power station – Prediction, Measurement and Potential, 5th European Wave Energy Conference, Cork, Ireland
• Boake, C.B.*, Folley, M., Whittaker, T.J.T. and Ellen, H. [2003] Instrumentation and Data Management of the LIMPET OWC Wave Power Plant, 5th European Wave Energy Conference, Cork, Ireland
• C.B. Boake, M. Atcheson, I.G. Bryden, T.J.T Whittaker (2009): Selection of a large model scale field wave and tidal test site in Strangford Lough, UK. Proceedings from 1st International Conference on Sustainable Power Generation and Supply, Nanjing, China.
• F. Thiebaut, D.O’Sullivan, P. Kracht, S. Ceballos, J. López, C. Boake, J. Bard, N. Brinquete, J. Varandas, L.M.C. Gato, R. Alcorn, A.W. Lewis: Testing of a floating OWC device with movable guide vane impulse turbine power take-off, 9th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference, Southampton, UK, 2011.

Cuan has been involved in numerous renewable energy projects, some of which are listed here:

• CORES European Project (Jan 2008 – March 2011), Wave Energy Project.
• SUPERGEN Marine Energy Research Consortium.
• Wavetrain II, EEC Marie Curie Training Network, Scientist in Charge.
• Oyster Wave Energy Plant (Aquamarine).
• SEAGEN, Marine Current Turbines, Strangford Lough Tidal Turbine Project, Northern Ireland
• Horizon Renewables Ltd
  – Development of Intelligent Real-time Energy Management System for Small-scale Renewable Energy Installations.
  – Software development – economic feasibility assessment for small-medium scale wind turbines
• Castlecool Ltd.
  – Development of an Integrated Energy Management System using refrigerated energy storage
• LIMPET Wave Energy Project (EEC Contract JOR3-CT98-0312)
• Energetech Australia, Port Kembla Wave Energy Project.
• CA-OE, Co-ordinated Action for Ocean Energy Partner, EEC Project.
• Wavetrain Project, EEC Marie Curie Training Network, Scientist in Charge.