Professor Simon Neill

Professor in Physical Oceanography

Contact info

Room: Room 212, Marine Centre Wales     Phone: 01248 383938

Email: s.p.neill@bangor.ac.uk

Web: Google ScholarResearchGateAmazon Author PageTwitter; Google Knowledge Panel

I am professor in physical oceanography, specializing in ocean renewable energy: characterizing the wave and tidal energy resource, understanding wave-tide interaction, optimizing grid integration of arrays of marine renewable energy devices, and quantifying the environmental impacts of extracting energy from the oceans. I am founder and course director of an MSc in Marine Renewable Energy, and committee member of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), working on revising IEC Technical Specification 62600-201: Tidal Energy Resource Assessment and Characterization. I am a member of the editorial board of the Elsevier journal Renewable Energy, have written a textbook on marine energy "Fundamentals of Ocean Renewable Energy: Generating Electricity from the Sea", and am lead sediment scientist at FORCE (Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy). I also have other shelf sea research interests, including palaeoceanography, sediment dynamics, and simulating the dispersal of marine organisms and microplastics.

I currently lead a wide range of research projects at Bangor University, including:

Research Areas

  1. Published

    Inter-annual and inter-seasonal variability of the Orkney wave power resource

    Neill, S. P., Lewis, M. J., Hashemi, M. R., Slater, E., Lawrence, J. & Spall, S. A., 1 Aug 2014, In: Applied Energy. 132, p. 339-348

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  2. Published

    Fundamentals of Ocean Renewable Energy: Generating Electricity from the Sea

    Neill, S. & Hashemi, M. R., 12 Jun 2018, London: Academic Press. 336 p.

    Research output: Book/ReportBook

  3. Published

    The Impact of Marine Renewable Energy Extraction on Sediment Dynamics

    Neill, S., Robins, P. & Fairley, I., 10 Apr 2017, Marine Renewable Energy: Resource characterization and physical effects. Yang, Z. & Copping, A. (eds.). Springer, p. 279-304

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

  4. Published

    Wave power variability over the northwest European shelf seas

    Neill, S. P. & Hashemi, R., 1 Jun 2013, In: Applied Energy. 106, p. 31-46

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  5. Published

    Simulating storm waves in the Irish Sea

    Neill, S. P. & Elliott, A. J., 1 Jun 2007, In: Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Maritime Engineering. 160, 2, p. 57-64

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  6. Published

    Observations and simulations of an unsteady island wake in the Firth of Forth, Scotland.

    Neill, S. P. & Elliott, A. J., 1 Jul 2004, In: Ocean Dynamics. 54, 3-4, p. 324-332

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  7. Published

    Three-dimensional modelling of turbine wake interactions at a tidal stream energy site

    Michelet, N., Guillou, N., Chapalain, G., Thiebot, J., Guillou, S., Goward Brown, A. & Neill, S., 1 Feb 2020, In: Applied Ocean Research. 95, 102009.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  8. Published

    Tidal-stream energy resource characterisation for the Gulf of California, México

    Mejia-Olivares, C., Haigh, I. D., Wells, N., Coles, D., Lewis, M. & Neill, S., 1 Aug 2018, In: Energy. 156, p. 481-491

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  9. Published

    Tidal range energy resource assessment of the Gulf of California, Mexico

    Mejia-Olivares, C., Haigh, I. D., Angeloudis, A., Lewis, M. & Neill, S., Aug 2020, In: Renewable Energy. 155, p. 469-483

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  10. Published

    Sensitivity assessment of bathymetry and choice of tidal constituents on tidal stream energy resource characterisation in the Gulf of California, Mexico

    Mejia-Olivares, C., Haigh, I. D., Lewis, M. & Neill, S., 1 Sept 2020, In: Applied Ocean Research.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  11. Published

    Comparison of dense optical flow and PIV techniques for mapping surface current flow in tidal stream energy sites

    McIlvenny, J., Williamson, B., Fairley, I., Lewis, M., Neill, S., Masters, I. & Reeve, D. E., Sept 2023, In: International Journal of Energy and Environmental Engineering. 14, 3, p. 273-285 13 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  12. Published

    Tidal range resource of the Patagonian shelf

    Marti, V., Neill, S. & Angeloudis, A., 1 Jun 2023, In: Renewable Energy. 209, p. 85-96

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  13. Published

    Ocean Renewable Energy Test Centers

    Marti, V., Culina, J. & Neill, S., 9 Sept 2021, Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences. 2nd ed.

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

  14. Published

    Modelling of SAR signatures of bathymetric features in the Bristol Channel using a coupled wave-current model

    Macklin, T., Wolf, J., Wakelin, S., Elliott, A. J. & Neill, S. P., 1 Jan 2005, p. 611-618.

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

  15. Published

    The benefits of combining coupled wave-current models with SAR observations for the interpretation of ocean-surface currents.

    Macklin, T., Wolf, J., Wakelin, S., Gommenginger, C., Ferrier, G., Elliott, A. J. & Neill, S. P., 23 Jan 2006.

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

  16. Published

    The benefits of combining coupled wave-current models with SAR observations for the interpretation of ocean-surface currents.

    Macklin, T., Wolf, J., Wakelin, S., Gommenginger, C., Ferrier, G., Elliott, A. J. & Neill, S. P., 1 Jan 2006.

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

  17. Published

    Resource assessment for future generations of tidal-stream energy arrays

    Lewis, M., Neill, S. P., Robins, P. E. & Hashemi, M. R., 1 Apr 2015, In: Energy. 83, p. 403-415

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  18. Published

    Power variability of tidal-stream energy and implications for electricity supply

    Lewis, M., McNaughton, J., Márquez-Dominguez, C., Todeschini, G., Togneri, M., Masters, I., Allmark, M., Stallard, T., Neill, S., Goward Brown, A. & Robins, P., 15 Sept 2019, In: Energy. 183, p. 1061-1074

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  19. Published

    Influence of storm surge on tidal range energy

    Lewis, M., Angeloudis, A., Robins, P., Evans, P. S. & Neill, S., Mar 2017, In: Energy. 122, p. 25-36

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  20. Published

    Characteristics of the velocity profile at tidal-stream energy sites

    Lewis, M., Neill, S., Robins, P., Hashemi, M. R. & Ward, S., Dec 2017, In: Renewable Energy. 114, Part A, p. 258-272

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  21. Published

    Inter-annual variability of two contrasting offshore sand banks in a region of extreme tidal range

    Lewis, M. J., Neill, S. P. & Elliott, A. J., 10 Dec 2014, In: Journal of Coastal Research. 31, 2, p. 265-275

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  22. Published

    A standardised tidal-stream power curve, optimised for the global resource

    Lewis, M., O'Hara Murray, R., Fredriksson, S., Maskell, J., de Fockert, A., Neill, S. & Robins, P., 1 Jun 2021, In: Renewable Energy. 170, p. 1308-1323

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  23. Published

    Wave-tide interaction modulates nearshore wave height

    Lewis, M. J., Palmer, T., Hashemi, R., Robins, P., Saulter, A., Brown, J., Lewis, H. & Neill, S., Mar 2019, In: Ocean Dynamics. 69, 3, p. 367-384

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  24. Published

    Realistic wave conditions and their influence on quantifying the tidal stream energy resource

    Lewis, M. J., Neill, S. P. & Hashemi, M. R., 8 Oct 2014, In: Applied Energy. 136, p. 495-508

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  25. Published

    Identification of genetically and oceanographically distinct blooms of jellyfish

    Lee, P. L., Dawson, M. N., Neill, S. P., Robins, P. E., Houghton, J. D., Doyle, T. K. & Hays, G. C., 1 Mar 2013, In: Journal of the Royal Society Interface. 10, 80, p. 20120920

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  26. Published

    Environmental metabarcoding reveals heterogeneous drivers of microbial eukaryote diversity in contrasting estuarine ecosystems

    Lallias, D. S., Lallias, D., Hiddink, J. G., Fonseca, V. G., Gaspar, J. M., Sung, W., Neill, S. P., Barnes, N., Ferrero, T., Hall, N., Lambshead, P. J., Packer, M., Thomas, W. K. & Creer, S., 25 Nov 2014, In: The ISME Journal. 9, p. 1208-1221

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  27. Published

    The impacts of tidal energy development and sea-level rise in the Gulf of Maine

    Kresning, B., Hashemi, M. R., Neill, S. P., Green, M. & Xue, H., 15 Nov 2019, In: Energy. 187, 115942.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  28. Published

    A large-scale review of wave and tidal energy research over the last 20 years

    Khojasteh, D., Shamsipour, A., Huang, L., Tavakoli, S., Haghani, M., Flocard, F., Farzadkhoo, M., Iglesias, G., Hemer, M., Lewis, M., Neill, S., Bernitsas, M. & Glamore, W., 1 Aug 2023, In: Ocean Engineering. 282, 18 p., 114995.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  29. Published

    Field Investigations of Scour Around Scaled Piles in a Region of Wave Breaking : Hydrodynamic Field Investigations on Scour around Piles

    Kannapiran, T. & Neill, S., Apr 2023.

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

  30. Published

    Navigating the tides of change: The crucial role of wave and tidal marine renewable energy resource characterization and assessment research

    Jones, C., Yang, Z. & Neill, S., 7 Feb 2024, In: Renewable Energy. 223, 120020.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  31. Published

    Habitat structure shapes temperate reef assemblages across regional environmental gradients

    Jackson-Bue, T., Evans, A. J., Lawrence, P., Brooks, P., Ward, S., Jenkins, S., Moore, P. J., Crowe, T., Neill, S. & Davies, A., 1 Jan 2024, In: Science of the Total Environment. 167494.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  32. Published

    Environmental drivers of small scale spatial variation in the reproductive schedule of a commercially important bivalve mollusc

    Hold, N., Murray, L. G., Hinz, H., Neill, S. P., Lass, S., Lo, M. & Kaiser, M. J., 1 Dec 2013, In: Marine Environmental Research. 92, p. 144-153

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  33. Published

    Context dependency of relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is different for multiple ecosystem functions.

    Hiddink, J. G., Davies, T. W., Perkins, M., Machairopoulou, M. & Neill, S. P., 1 Dec 2009, In: Oikos. 118, 12, p. 1892-1900

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  34. Published

    Using an artificial neural network to model seasonal changes in beach profiles

    Hashemi, M. R., Ghadampur, Z. & Neill, S. P., 1 Oct 2010, In: Ocean Engineering. 37, 14-15, p. 1345-1356

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  35. Published

    Tidal and surge modelling using differential quadrature: a case study in the Bristol Channel.

    Hashemi, M. R., Abedini, M. J., Neill, S. P. & Malekzadeh, P., 1 Oct 2008, In: Coastal Engineering. 55, 10, p. 811-819

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  36. Published

    A coupled tide-wave model for the NW European shelf seas

    Hashemi, R. M., Neill, S. P. & Davies, A. G., 14 Aug 2014, In: Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  37. Published

    A simplified method to estimate tidal current effects on the ocean wave power resource

    Hashemi, M. R., Grilli, S. T. & Neill, S., Oct 2016, In: Renewable Energy. 96, Part A, p. 257-269

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  38. Published

    Effect of waves on the tidal energy resource at a planned tidal stream array

    Hashemi, M. R., Neill, S. P., Robins, P. E., Davies, A. G. & Lewis, M. J., Mar 2015, In: Renewable Energy. 75, p. 626-639

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  39. Published

    The role of tides in shelf-scale simulations of the wave energy resource

    Hashemi, M. R. & Neill, S. P., 18 Apr 2014, In: Renewable Energy. 69, p. 300-310

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  40. Published

    The influence of waves on the tidal kinetic energy resource at a tidal stream energy site

    Guillou, N., Chapalain, G. & Neill, S., 15 Oct 2016, In: Applied Energy. 180, October, p. 402-415

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  41. Published

    Characterising the tidal stream power resource around France using a high-resolution harmonic database

    Guillou, N., Neill, S. & Robins, P., Aug 2018, In: Renewable Energy. 123, p. 706-718

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  42. Published

    Spatio-temporal variability of tidal-stream energy in north-western Europe

    Guillou, N., Neill, S. & Thiebot, J., 21 Aug 2020, In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 378, 2178, 20190493.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  43. Published

    Tidal energy extraction in three-dimensional ocean models

    Goward Brown, A., Neill, S. & Lewis, M., Dec 2017, In: Renewable Energy. 114, A, p. 244/257

    Research output: Contribution to journalSpecial issuepeer-review

  44. Published

    The influence of wind gustiness on estimating the wave power resource

    Goward Brown, A., Neill, S. & Lewis, M., 10 Nov 2013, In: International Journal of Marine Energy. 3-4, p. e1-e10

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  45. Published

    A new Holocene relative sea-level curve for western Brittany (France): Insights on isostatic dynamics along the Atlantic coasts of north-western Europe

    Goslin, J., Van Vliet Lanoe, B., Spada, G., Bradley, S., Tarasov, L., Neill, S. P. & Suanez, S., 5 Nov 2015, In: Quaternary Science Reviews. 129, p. 341-365

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  46. Published

    Some numerical aspects of modelling flow around hydraulic structures using incompressible SPH

    Ghadampour, Z., Hashemi, M. R., Talebbeydokhti, N., Neill, S. P. & Nikseresht, A. H., 8 May 2015, In: Computers and Mathematics with Applications. 69, 12, p. 1470-1483

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  47. Published

    A progress report on the control of the free surface in a 3D Navier Stokes solver for coastal applications.

    Gejadze, I., Copeland, G., Neill, S. P., Fang, F. & Pain, C., 1 Jan 2004, p. 681-694.

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

  48. Published

    Second-generation environmental sequencing unmasks marine metazoan biodiversity.

    Fonseca, V. G., Carvalho, G. R., Sung, W., Johnson, H. F., Power, D. M., Neill, S. P., Packer, M., Blaxter, M. L., Lambshead, J. D., Thomas, W. K. & Creer, S., 19 Oct 2010, In: Nature Communications. 1, 7, p. 98

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  49. Published

    Metagenetic analysis of patterns of distribution and diversity of marine meiobenthic eukaryotes

    Fonseca, V. G., Carvalho, G. R., Nichols, B., Quince, C., Johnson, H. F., Neill, S. P., Lambshead, J. D., Thomas, W. K., Power, D. M. & Creer, S., 25 Aug 2014, In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. 23, 11, p. 1293–1302

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  50. Published

    Observing estuarine currents and fronts in the Tay Estuary, Scotland, using an airborne SAR with along-track interferometry (ATI)

    Ferrier, G., Macklin, J. T., Neill, S. P., Folkard, A. M., Copeland, G. J. & Anderson, J. M., 20 Oct 2005, In: International Journal of Remote Sensing. 26, 20, p. 4399-4404

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review