Membership questions
Joining OEE is very easy, you just have to complete our membership application form. Ready to join? Contact our Head of Membership y.conill@oceanenergy.eu
Members come from all corners of the sector: technology developers, utilities, supply chain, consultancies, manufacturers, national/regional associations, research and academic institutions and test centres.
Ocean Energy Europe ‘s mission is to create a strong environment for the development of ocean energy, improve access to funding, and enhance business opportunities for its members.
- Key Information about policy and funding: we create and share detailed briefings about all OE funding opportunities, so you are always informed and understand the intricacies of different EU programmes.
- We engage with policy makers in the EU, nationally and regionally to make sure the right funding opportunities are created and supported, and act as the voice of the sector in advocating for the development and commercialisation of ocean energy.
- A dedicated team of policy, projects and communications experts is available to membership, to answer any questions, help you find the right support and produce key sector publications. A dedicated members’ area hosts all webinars, briefings and event information.
- Networking, profiling and knowledge sharing: our members’ only events and our annual conference are the best place for the sector to come together and share. Our events showcase the industry and allow members to network across the sector.
The membership annual fee is tied to the size of your organisation. To find out which category is right for you, contact our Head of Membership y.conill@oceanenergy.eu.
Ocean energy basics
Ocean energy technologies exploit the power of tides and waves, as well as differences in temperature and salinity, to produce energy.
The changing tides produce currents that can be harnessed by tidal turbines to generate clean, predictable renewable energy.
The physical movement of swells and waves can be captured and transformed into energy by wave energy converters (WECs).
SWAC plants use the difference between warm surface water and cold deep water to provide heating and cooling.
Using stacks of membranes, energy can be harvested from the difference in the salt concentration between seawater and fresh water.
Tidal turbines come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including 2 or 3 blades attached to a rotor (similar to a wind turbine) or subsea ‘kites’. Some devices float, others sit on the seabed or in a seawall.
For wave energy converters, different designs cater for different sites and different wave strengths. Among common concepts are: large buoys that absorb the vertical movement of the waves; flaps anchored close to shore, which are pushed backwards and forward; floating hulls inside which air is compressed by wave movement; and floating rafts connected by a hinge.
SWAC and salinity gradient plants are typically buildings located on the shore that house a heat pump system including pipework, membrane, pumps, tanks etc.
Today, the largest tidal turbines stand around 2MW and the most powerful wave energy converters around 1MW. This is comparable to a medium-sized onshore wind turbine. They respectively produce enough electricity to cover the consumption of 1900 and 700 average EU households for a year. SWAC plants can reach tens of MW, covering proportionally more households.
Ocean energy is a perfect partner to these mature renewables thanks to its very high predictability and the fact that it’s not dependent on the weather.
Tides, and therefore tidal energy, are generated by the pull of the moon and are fully predictable - even hundreds of years into the future. Wave conditions can be accurately measured hours and even days in advance, both for localised wind-generated waves’ and for ocean swells that travel for hundreds or thousands of kilometres. In warm sea areas, SWAC can generate energy on demand, at any time.
The vast majority of ocean energy development is currently taking place in Europe. Numerous projects are located along the Atlantic and North Sea coasts of the UK, Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Ocean energy is a set of flexible technologies, which can be developed at larger scales for mainstream ‘utility’ power, as well as at smaller scales for island systems. Islands are a natural fit for these technologies, as they are literally surrounded by the energy source.
All research shows that ocean energy has no significant impact on the environment. The impact of every ocean energy project is monitored closely to ensure that it stays environmentally friendly.
Ocean energy has numerous benefits beyond electricity production, ranging from local jobs and revitalisation of coastal economies to energy security or reduction in electricity price fluctuations.