Press releases

Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) has appointed Simon De Pietro (DP Energy, Ireland) and Patrik Möller (Corpower Ocean, Sweden) as its new Co-Presidents. This pairing brings together both technology and project development perspectives, and a wealth of experience in ocean energy.

Even in a year as challenging as 2020, ocean energy devices hit the water, significant investments deals were signed, and new manufacturing facilities launched. According to statistics released today by Ocean Energy Europe, tidal and wave energy devices were installed in the UK, the Faroe Islands, Spain, the US and China: all in spite of the inevitable delays and restrictions caused by Covid-19.

The design of a brand-new European insurance fund for the ocean energy sector is underway, to slash the costs of the first commercial projects and accelerate the roll-out of this exciting new industry.

The CEO of Ocean Energy Europe (OEE), Rémi Gruet and the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Francesco La Camera, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today at the annual Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition. The partnership will deepen existing cooperation to accelerate the commercialisation of ocean energy technologies, by promoting the right policy incentives and innovative business models in Europe and globally.

Leading Italian energy company Eni is joining Ocean Energy Europe, taking up a seat on the Board of Directors as a Lead Partner, the industry body announced today. Vincenzo Michetti, Eni’s Head of Upstream R&D will represent the company on the Board.

Leading French tidal energy developer HydroQuest is joining the Ocean Energy Europe Board of Directors as a Lead Partner, the industry body announced today. HydroQuest will be represented by Guillaume Gréau, Head of Business Development, who has 20 years of experience in shipbuilding and tidal energy.

The new EU Strategy on Offshore Renewable Energy must include a target of 100MW of ocean energy installed in Europe by 2025. This would be enough to power 100,000 European homes a year, and would pave the way for installing 3GW by 2030 and 100GW by 2050.

Ocean energy devices and pilot farms should be demonstrated in real-sea conditions for several years to accelerate large-scale deployment, according to ETIP Ocean’s new ‘Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda (SRIA)’, published today.

Dedicated revenue support at national level is essential to attract investment for ocean energy farms, according to a new report from sectoral advisory body ETIP Ocean. The report ‘Powering Homes Today, Powering Nations Tomorrow’ analyses the challenges faced by the sector on the route to industrial roll-out and proposes four actions to overcome them. Alongside revenue support, a model for ‘blended’ public finance will allow the next round of ocean energy projects to reach financial close.

Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) has elected Dr. Jochen Weilepp, representing Sustainable Marine Energy, as co-President of the association. Dr. Weilepp will join Simon De Pietro of DP Energy, who has been OEE co-President since 2016.

On 26 July, Naval Energies announced the cessation of its investments in tidal stream, forcing the liquidation of its tidal stream subsidiary, OpenHydro.

 

Commenting on this development, Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe said:

“The liquidation of OpenHydro is disappointing news, yet closures are part of pioneering and innovating in a brand new industrial sector, on the road to commercialisation.

The EU’s long-term strategy for emissions reduction must have renewable energy at its centre, according to Europe’s renewable energy industry. The comments come as the European Commission announces its intention to renew the EU’s 2050 energy and climate strategy.

Ocean Energy Europe applauds the publication of a new European Commission “Market Study on Ocean Energy”. The Study gives an exceptionally accurate and argumented analysis of what is needed to fulfil the sector’s rapid growth prospects.

Ocean Energy Europe regrets the UK government’s decision not to include tidal lagoons in its energy mix. Without revenue support, the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon will simply not go ahead and the UK will lose out on the many benefits it can bring – jobs, growth, industrial leadership and more.

Ocean Energy Europe and Copernicus Marine Service officially launched their new partnership today at a reception hosted by the European Commission in Brussels. The collaboration will help European ocean energy companies create export market opportunities.

The new appointments will be tasked with uniting the sector behind a strategy to build an ocean energy industry in Europe.

France’s Secretary of State for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, Sébastien Lecornu, announced preliminary studies to the launch of a tidal energy tender in Paris yesterday evening. The announcement is an important first step and strong message to the sector. A tender for tidal energy will see France become the global centre of tidal energy manufacturing.

Ocean Energy Europe – the industry body for ocean renewable energy in Europe - has appointed Donagh Cagney as its new Policy Director. Cagney will focus on promoting the right policy and finance framework to take ocean energy to industrial readiness.

Europe’s ocean energy industry welcomed the ambition shown by European Parliament today in a vote on the recast of the Renewable Energy Directive out to 2030. MEPs backed a target of 35% renewable energy in the EU by 2030, and voted for measures to encourage investment and reduce the cost of renewables.

Scotland will host the Ocean Energy Europe 2018 Conference & Exhibition (OEE2018) in Edinburgh on 30-31 October. Scotland has led the charge on ocean energy technologies by building some of the industry’s key flagship projects, and is a key hub for developments globally. Scottish Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, Paul Wheelhouse will be present to welcome the ocean energy sector to Edinburgh. The event will be sponsored by Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Wave Energy Scotland, and the Scottish Crown Estate.

Ocean Energy Europe welcomes today’s deal on the new Innovation Fund, intended to bring to market the next generation of clean energy technologies. The agreement was reached by the European Council, Parliament and Commission early this morning as part of the Emission Trading System (ETS) revision.

25 October. Nantes. The FORESEA programme has approved six offshore renewable energy technology projects for support, in its third call for applications. The awards highlight the leading role Europe plays in ocean energy RD&I globally, with continued strong demand for testing in European ocean energy centres of excellence from both EU and non-EU developers.

2525 October 2017. Nantes, France. Europe’s world leading ocean energy industry will assemble in Nantes, France today at the Ocean Energy Europe 2017 Conference & Exhibition to assess its progress towards commercialisation. Despite political uncertainties, the sector has demonstrated its resilience over the past 12 months by generating record-breaking performance data, beginning the scale-up to commercial production, and opening export markets. In 2017, European technologies continue to dominate globally.

Simon Forrest, Managing Director of Nova Innovation, has joined the Ocean Energy Europe Board of Directors

On Monday 26^th June, the TTE Council, composed of EU European Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Minister, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Blue Growth, by endorsing the Valetta Declaration.

The FORESEA (Funding Ocean Renewable Energy through Strategic European Action) programme opened its third call for support package applications

A European Commission delegation visited Orkney, Scotland, this week to get a taste of the pioneering ocean energy advancements taking place across the island, as an Energy Day in the EU Sustainable Energy Week programme.

The Interreg Europe funded FORESEA programme has awarded ‘recommendations for support’ to 15 offshore renewable energy technologies following its second call for applications.

The European Parliament has adopted a proposal to reform the EU ETS Directive for the post 2020 period with a majority of 379 votes against 263 rejections and 57 abstentions. The reform proposes an Innovation Fund which will finance clean energy and low carbon projects by auctioning ETS allowances.

Today the European Commission published its ‘Clean Energy Package’, a mix of legislative proposals and communications related to energy.

The FORESEA (Funding Ocean Renewable Energy through Strategic European Action) Programme’s second call for support package applications was opened yesterday at the Ocean Energy Europe 2016 Conference & Exhibition.

The FORESEA (Funding Ocean Renewable Energy through Strategic European Action) Programme has awarded a ‘Recommendation for Support’ to ten ocean energy technology developers.

The €11m FORESEA project brings together Europe’s leading ocean energy test facilities to help demonstration of tidal, wave and offshore wind energy technologies in real-sea conditions.