Ocean energy can make a significant contribution to European energy security, but the EU and its Member States must act now in a coordinated manner to make this happen, according to a statement issued by ocean energy industry representatives ahead of the first convening of the Ocean Energy Forum in Brussels in April.
The Ocean Energy Forum is the first step in an action plan launched by European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki earlier this year to accelerate the commercialisation of the ocean energy sector. The political kick-off meeting for the Forum, which will run from 2014 to 2016, was used to introduce its future activities, to be performed by three working groups: on technology; markets and finance; and grids, environment and planning.
Speaking at the meeting, Ocean Energy Europe CEO Dr Sian George said that EU Member States and the industry need to act together to remove barriers to the development of the sector. “By sharing financial risk they can encourage investment. By sharing knowledge and best practise they can reduce technology and project development risks,” George said, adding: “This is the kind of coordinated approach which is needed to turn renewable ocean energy into a European industrial success story and make a significant contribution to European energy security – which is precisely what we hope the Ocean Energy Forum will do.”
George said that Europe currently has the best ocean energy technologies, research centres and resources in the world and is leading the race to industrialise the sector. Nevertheless, she sounded a note of caution, stressing that attractive support frameworks being put in place by global competitors mean that Europe’s competitive edge is under threat.
However, the Ocean Energy Europe CEO concluded that the Ocean Energy Forum would contribute to helping Europe maintain its current advantage and ensuring that the EU fully exploits the growth, employment and export potential of Europe’s substantial ocean energy resources.