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

    Ocean-related options for climate change mitigation and adaptation: A machine learning-based evidence map protocol

    Veytia, D., Airoldi, L., Paris, PSL., Cooley, S., Magnan, A., Marti, V., Neill, S., Sumaila, R., Thebaud, O., Voolstra, C., Williamson, P., Bonin, M., Langridge, J., Comte, A., Viard, F., Shin, Y., Bopp, L. & Gattuso, J-P., 1 Feb 2024, In: Protocol Exchange.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Published

    Observations and numerical modelling of a non-buoyant front in the Tay Estuary, Scotland.

    Neill, S. P., Copeland, G. J., Ferrier, G. & Folkard, A. M., 1 Jan 2004, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 59, 1, p. 173-184

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  6. Published

    Numerical modelling of hydrodynamics and tidal energy extraction in the Alderney Race: a review

    Thiebot, J., Coles, D., Bennis, A-C., Guillou, N., Neill, S., Guillou, S. & Piggott, M., 21 Aug 2020, In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 378, 2178, 20190498.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. Published

    Measuring and Observing the Ocean Renewable Energy Resource

    Christie, D. & Neill, S., 2021, Comprehensive Renewable Energy. 2nd ed.

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

  11. Published

    Larval dispersal from an energetic tidal channel and implications for blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) shellfisheries

    Demmer, J., Neill, S., Andres, O., Malham, S., Jones, T. & Robins, P., 1 Dec 2022, In: Aquaculture International. 30, 6, p. 2969-2995

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  12. Published

    Introduction to Ocean Renewable Energy

    Neill, S., 2021, Comprehensive Renewable Energy. 2nd ed. Elsevier

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

  13. Published

    Intercomparison of surface velocimetry techniques for drone-based marine current characterization

    Fairley, I., King, N., McIlvenny, J., Lewis, M., Neill, S., Williamson, B., Masters, I. & Reeve, D. E., 1 Apr 2024, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 299, 108682.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  14. 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

  15. Published

    Inter-annual variability of headland sandbanks affecting nearshore wave climates and flood risk.

    Rulent, J., Lewis, M., Vafeidis, A., Scott, T., Conley, D. & Neill, S., Sept 2016.

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePoster

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. Published

    In situ measurements of spring-neap variations to unsteady island wake development in the Firth of Forth, Scotland.

    Neill, S. P. & Elliott, A. J., 1 Jun 2004, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 60, 2, p. 229-239

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  19. Published

    Impact of tidal-stream arrays in relation to the natural variability of sedimentary processes

    Robins, P. E., Neill, S. P. & Lewis, M. J., 8 Aug 2014, In: Renewable Energy. 72, p. 311-321

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  20. Published

    Impact of tidal energy converter (TEC) arrays on the dynamics of headland sand banks

    Neill, S. P., Jordan, J. R. & Couch, S. J., 1 Jan 2012, In: Renewable Energy. 37, 1, p. 387-397

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  21. Published

    Impact of climate change on UK estuaries: A review of past trends and potential projections

    Robins, P. E., Skov, M. W., Lewis, M. J., Gimenez, L., Davies, A. G., Malham, S. K., Neill, S. P., McDonald, J. E., Whitton, T. A., Jackson, S. E. & Jago, C. F., 17 Dec 2015, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 169, p. 119-135

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  22. 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

  23. Published

    Hydrokinetic energy conversion: A global riverine perspective

    Ridgill, M., Lewis, M., Robins, P., Patil, S. & Neill, S., Jul 2022, In: Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. 14, 4, 044501.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  24. 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

  25. Published

    Global riverine theoretical hydrokinetic resource assessment

    Ridgill, M., Neill, S., Lewis, M., Robins, P. & Patil, S., 1 Aug 2021, In: Renewable Energy. 174, p. 654-665

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  26. 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

  27. 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

  28. Published

    Evolution of bed shear stress distribution over the northwest European shelf seas during the last 12,000 years.

    Neill, S. P. & Scourse, J. D., 1 Jan 2010, In: Ocean Dynamics. 60, 5, p. 1139-1156

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  29. Published

    Evidence of potential synergy between aquaculture and offshore renewable energy

    Demmer, J., Lewis, M., Robins, P. & Neill, S., 30 Sept 2022, In: International Marine Energy Journal. 5, 2

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  30. Published

    Estimates of the extreme meteorological and oceanographic conditions near Amlwch.

    Neill, S. P. & Elliott, A. J., 1 Jan 2005, 2005 ed. Unknown.

    Research output: Book/ReportCommissioned report

  31. 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

  32. Published

    Environmental issues for offshore renewable energy

    Wolf, J., De Dominicis, M., Lewis, M., Neill, S., O'Hara Murray, R., Scott, B. E., Zampollo, A., Chapman, J. & Declerck, M., 1 Feb 2022, Comprehensive Renewable Energy. 2nd ed. Elsevier

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

  33. 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

  34. Published

    Environmental Issues for Offshore Renewable Energy

    Wolf, J., Dominicis, M. D., Lewis, M., Neill, S., Murray, R. OH., Scott, B., Zampollo, A., Chapman, J. & Declerck, M., 2021, Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences. Elsevier

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

  35. 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

  36. Published

    Drone-based large-scale particle image velocimetry applied to tidal stream energy resource assessment

    Fairley, I., Williamson, B., McIlvenny, J., King, N., Masters, I., Lewis, M., Neill, S., Glasby, D., Coles, D., Powell, B., Naylor, K., Robinson, M. & Reeve, D. E., 1 Aug 2022, In: Renewable Energy. 196, p. 839-855

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  37. 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

  38. 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

  39. Published

    Comparison of ADCP observations and 3D model simulations of turbulence at a tidal energy site

    Togneri, M., Lewis, M., Neill, S. & Masters, I., Dec 2017, In: Renewable Energy. 114, Part A, p. 273-282

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  40. Published

    Comparison of 4- and 5-beam acoustic Doppler current profiler configurations for measurement of turbulent kinetic energy

    Togneri, M., Jones, D., Neill, S., Lewis, M., Ward, S., Piano, M. & Masters, I., 5 Sept 2017, In: Energy Procedia. 125, p. 260-267

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  41. Published

    Classifying seabed sediment type using simulated tidal-induced bed shear stress

    Ward, S. L., Neill, S. P., Van Landeghem, K. J. & Scourse, J. D., 30 May 2015, In: Marine Geology. 367, p. 94-104

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  42. Published
  43. Published

    Characterizing the Marine Energy Test Area (META) in Wales, UK

    Neill, S., Fairley, I., Rowlands, S., Young, S., Hill, T., Unsworth, C., King, N., Roberts, M., Austin, M., Hughes, P., Masters, I., Owen, A., Powell, B., Reeve, D. E. & Lewis, M., 1 Mar 2023, In: Renewable Energy. 205, p. 447-460

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  44. Published

    Characterizing the Great Lakes hydrokinetic renewable energy resource: Lake Erie wave, surge and seiche characteristics

    Farhadzadeh, A., Hashemi, M. R. & Neill, S., 1 Jun 2017, In: Energy. 128, p. 661-675

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  45. Published

    Characterizing seabed sediments at contrasting offshore renewable energy sites

    Amjadian, P., Neill, S. & Marti, V., 4 Apr 2023, In: Frontiers in Marine Science. 10

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  46. 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

  47. Published

    Characterising the wave energy resource of Lanzarote, Canary Islands

    Christie, D., Neill, S. & Arnold, P., 1 Apr 2023, In: Renewable Energy. 206, p. 1198-1211

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  48. 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

  49. Published

    Characterising the spatial and temporal variability of the tidal-stream energy resource over the northwest European shelf seas

    Robins, P. E., Neill, S. P., Lewis, M. J. & Ward, S. L., 1 Jun 2015, In: Applied Energy. 147, p. 510-522

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  50. Published

    Changes in wave climate over the northwest European shelf seas during the last 12,000 years.

    Neill, S. P., Scourse, J. D., Bigg, G. R. & Uehara, K., 17 Jun 2009, In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Oceans. 114, p. C06015

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review