Archive

Europe is taking a leap forward to secure its leadership in innovative renewables with the endorsement of a 45% renewables consumption target and a 5% innovation target for new installed capacity. The targets were agreed this morning by the European Parliament and Member States as part of the revision of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED).

Ocean Energy Europe applauds the inclusion of the innovation target in particular, as it gives a strong political signal. This in turn will provide market visibility and speed up the deployment of innovative renewables.

5% of new installed capacity between now and 2030 will come from innovative renewable energy technologies. National governments should now translate this into policy measures as part of their National Energy and Climate Plan updates to match the target’s ambition.

11 January 2023, Brussels. Orbital Marine Power (Orbital), one of the world’s leading tidal energy developers, is increasing their support of the vital work that Ocean Energy Europe is doing to promote the sector, by becoming a Lead Partner.

Hailing from Scotland, Orbital is helping turn the tide on climate change by commercialising their ground-breaking technology that captures renewable energy from the power of the earth’s naturally occurring tidal stream resources.

Orbital’s O2 project, supported by Horizon 2020, delivered the world’s most powerful and advanced tidal turbine, which began exporting low-carbon electricity to the UK grid in July, 2021. The O2 is a 2 MW+ floating device capable of providing utility-scale, clean energy whilst supporting a just transition by creating sustainable, quality jobs throughout the project lifecycle, and is able to offset over 2,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

In 2022, Orbital was awarded 7.2MW of ‘Contracts for Difference’ (CfDs) in the UK Government’s long-term revenue support mechanism for renewables process. This is a significant milestone in the company’s growth, with these CfDs underpinning the delivery of a multi-turbine project in Eday, Orkney. Once operational, the combined Orbital project will be connected to the UK grid and will power approximately 10,000 homes.

Next year’s Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition (OEE2023) will take place in The Hague, the Netherlands. The Dutch Marine Energy Community, led by the Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC) as platinum sponsor with local support from the Municipality of The Hague, is looking forward to hosting this exciting event in the so-called “City by the Sea”.

OEE2023 will bring together ocean technology developers, decision-makers, supply chain actors and researchers from around the world to share the latest news from the world of ocean energy, and to define the future direction of the sector.  Since the first edition in 2013, the annual Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition has grown to be the leading European event on ocean energy.  

European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson visited a trailblazing tidal energy project today, at the Eastern Scheldt Tidal Power Plant in Zeeland. The power plant has been supplying 100% predictable and renewable power since 2016 and is a prime example of what Europe can achieve with its indigenous wave and tidal resources.

Commissioner Simson and her delegation arrived at the plant on tidal-powered electric bikes – offering a glimpse of a future where tidal energy is an everyday part of EU citizens’ lives. The visit was organised by Ocean Energy Europe, together with Tocardo and the Dutch Marine Energy Centre, to illustrate how tidal energy is already producing clean and reliable electricity and can be a key part of Europe’s future energy mix. 

The tidal power produced here is used locally to balance variable wind and solar plants, so that residents and businesses can benefit from a 100% renewable energy supply. This is just one example of how ocean energy can be combined with other renewables to deliver a European energy system which is secure, reliable and fully decarbonised.

The renewable energy sector calls on EU Member States to support the creation of an installation target for innovative renewable energy in the Renewable Energy Directive.

Sky-high energy prices underlining Europe’s dependence from imported fossil sources and another summer of extreme weather have highlighted the need to speed up the transformation of our energy system towards one fully based on renewables. Scaling up next- generation renewable technologies and bringing them to market quickly will be essential in providing Europe and the world with clean, affordable energy.

Today’s vote on the Renewable Energy Directive by the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is important in putting forward:

• a new indicative target for innovative renewables set at 5% of all renewable energy capacity installed between the entry into force of the revision to the Directive and 2030;
• National Energy and Climate Plans as the vehicle for Member States to set out the policies that will deliver innovative renewables;
• an increase in the ambition of the EU’s overall renewable energy target to 45% of gross final consumption of energy by 2030 and a higher target for the increase of RES use in the industrial sector combined with an emphasis on Heating and Cooling Purchase Agreements.

Ocean Energy Europe applauds the announcement of the first-ever tidal stream auction winners under the UK’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme.  The winning projects – Orbital Marine Eday 1 & 2, Morlais Magallanes and Meygen Phase 2 – will together generate over 40 MW of electricity for British homes and businesses.

With its £20m (€23m) commitment for the sector, the UK joins Canada and France in providing revenue support to unlock the huge potential of the innovative ocean energy industry.

By awarding contracts to three projects, the government also ensures healthy competition and large-scale growth potential across several tidal technologies.

For the tidal industry’s progress to be sustained, it is vital that the UK government creates long-term visibility by continuing to include ringfenced allowances in future allocation rounds.

Time is running out for the EU to meet its 100 MW ocean energy deployment target by 2025 – but it isn’t too late, says a new report released today by Ocean Energy Europe. Secure, decarbonised and affordable energy is a top EU priority, and this should be reflected in the timely implementation of its Offshore Renewables Strategy.

Governments around the world have recently stepped up the development of ocean energy, via revenue support in the UK and Canada, a €500m package in the US, and deployment plans in China’s 5-Year Plan. Europe has not matched the pace and risks losing its competitive advantage. But more than enough European ocean energy projects are lined up – just a few crucial funding and coordination actions are needed to get them in the water.

ICOE-OEE 2022, the leading global event on ocean energy, announced today that the Basque Energy Agency, Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE), is participating as platinum sponsor. In recent years, EVE has made a firm commitment to marine renewable energy, and the event will enable it to showcase the Basque Country’s proud industrial heritage and its potential in ocean energy.

The Basque coast is an ideal site for the development and testing of wave energy devices and the region has the technological and industrial expertise needed to position itself as a global reference in this field. EVE is promoting two leading projects in ocean energy: The Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP) and Mutriku wave power plant. Delegates of ICOE-OEE 2022 will be able to visit both facilities as part of a technical tour during the event. 

BiMEP is a unique, grid-connected open-sea test area off the coast of Armintza, which demonstrates and validates wave energy converters and floating wind power platforms. 

The renewable energy share target in the revised EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) should be raised to 45%, and should include more diverse sources, say the European Parliament’s EPP Group and Markus Pieper MEP, the directive’s Rapporteur. Dr Pieper’s report introduces an incentive for governments to invest in innovative renewable energy technologies, such as ocean energy, via a new sub-target.

Ocean Energy Europe applauds this announcement, and calls on MEPs and Member States to adopt these new targets in their entirety – to give Europe greater energy independence and accelerate decarbonisation.

At least 5% of Europe’s new renewable energy capacity should come from innovative renewable energy sources between 2025 and 2035, according to the report. This single action, the Pieper report continues, will “safeguard Europe’s industrial competitiveness” in renewables and make a vital contribution towards reaching climate neutrality by 2050.

Ocean Energy Europe is looking for a Membership, Marketing & Sales Manager to join its Events & Communications team. Please note that this is a temporary position to cover maternity leave for 9 months.

The Position

The Membership, Marketing & Sales Manager is responsible for ensuring that Ocean Energy Europe members receive a high standard of service, recruiting new members into the organisation, and marketing Ocean Energy Europe and its events, including its Annual Conference & Exhibition.

She/he will work closely with the Communications & Events Director and the CEO to deliver membership satisfaction and sales revenue against agreed targets.

The Membership & Marketing Manager is an outward-facing role within the organisation, dealing with industry stakeholders on a regular basis. This requires a genuine interest in supporting ocean energy organisations to develop and grow. It also requires a strong strategic vision.