Site Visit – Offshore renewable energy site in Oostende with POM West-Vlaanderen

Thursday 6 November, 10:30 – 15:30

POM West Vlaanderen – a regional development agency – will welcome all participants in Oostende, the beating heart of the Blue Economy in Belgium. 

The cost for the visit is €50 + VAT

The tour includes: 

• Walk along the Port of Oostende
• Boat trip to Blue Accelerator
• Visit the Coastal & Ocean Basin (COB)
• Visit the Reef, a  Digital Training Lab Blue Energy

Thursday 6 November, 11:00 – 12:00

By  boat trip POM West-Vlaanderen will present their infrastructure Blue Accelerator. This is a maritime innovation and demonstration platform and a test site for all types of offshore energy research and development projects in the early and mid-range of technology readiness levels.  Blue Accelerator is a one of a kind fixed structure. The monopile and machine house on top are equipped with sensors and other testing infrastructure for both the submerged and splash zone as for above the water surface. Moreover there is an exclusive and safe test zone around the platform where innovative products and technologies can be tested in real-life offshore circumstances

In bad weather circumstances we will pay a visit to VLIZ (Flanders Marine institute) where you have a clear view on Blue Accelerator. A brief visit to Marine Robotics Centre will also be provided.

Thursday 6 November, 12:15 – 13:00

The Coastal & Ocean Basin (COB), as part of Flanders Maritime Laboratory is designed to study the effect of waves and currents on coastal and offshore structures, the generation of freak waves and the hydrodynamic and structural behaviour of devices for marine renewable energy. With basin dimensions of 30 m x 30 m, a variable water depth up to 1.4 m and wave-current interaction in any relative direction, the infrastructure offers excellent test conditions for coastal to near offshore applications related to coastal defence plans, offshore/floating structures and renewable energy technologies. A central pit of up to 4.5 m deep allows for testing of mooring applications. The COB welcomes users from academia, industry and governmental institutions.

Thursday 6 November, 13:45 – 14:15

On the site next to the Coastal and Ocean Basin, Bluebridge is located. This incubator for the Belgian blue economy facilitates open innovation by connecting start-ups, corporates, knowledge institutions, public partners and civil society Within it, The Reef is a Digital Training Lab Blue Energy, designed to train offshore wind employees using immersive technologies.

The learning infrastructure consists of a VR-cave, a VR-playzone, a digital twin of the Belgian North Sea and a control room. All of the above are necessary in order to simulate the offshore wind work environment as realistic as possible. This innovative infrastructure is utilized by knowledge institutions and the industry.

POM West-Vlaanderen is a regional development agency in Belgium that aims to further develop a sustainable and innovative economy by promoting partnerships between industry & SMEs, knowledge institutions, the public sector and the general public (with a quadruple-helix approach).

Five cluster policies are being implemented, in alignment with regional, national and European strategies. One of these clusters focuses on blue energy, covering offshore wind, wave and tidal energy, floating solar PV, hydrogen and a range of hybrid solutions, such as multi-use and multi-source applications in a marine environment.

POM supports the blue energy sector by providing innovation infrastructure and by strengthening the innovation ecosystem on topics like decommissioning of wind turbines, blue skills and tests and demonstrations in the field of drone applications, material development and energy conversion.