Ocean Energy Forum Starts Working in Dublin

The European Union’s Ocean Energy Forum has announced its Steering Committee members today at its first working meeting in Dublin.

The Committees, composed of an all-star cast of European ocean energy actors, started work on a comprehensive strategy for the commercialisation of the renewable ocean energy sector.

The Steering Committees for each of the Forum’s three workstreams – technology, markets/finance and environment/consenting – are composed of Europe’s leading ocean energy actors from industry, research, local and national government. The preliminary findings of the Forum will be presented at a Ministerial Summit, attended by EU Energy Ministers and senior industry figures, in Paris this October.

Today also marked the first meeting of TP Ocean, the Technology and Innovation Platform for Ocean Energy, which will provide the technology workstream for the Ocean Energy Forum. Support for this initiative was formally announced at the meeting with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (UK), the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) weighing in behind it.

“Producing electricity from the sea is not an easy task. That’s why Europe needs to work together to remove the existing roadblocks to commercialisation. The industry is very encouraged by the progress we’ve seen today and we’ll look forward to carrying this momentum forward to Paris in October,” Sian George, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe, the trade association for ocean renewable energy.

“TP Ocean will play a vital role in bringing innovative new technologies to bear in wave and tidal power generation, to ensure we realise the enormous opportunity presented by Europe’s vast marine energy resources. We’re delighted to be a part of this important initiative and look forward to working with colleagues across Europe to help drive forward innovation in the ocean energy sector,” Andrew Macdonald, Engineering Technology Manager for the ORE Catapult.

“SEAI is delighted to support TP Ocean and participate in the Ocean Energy Forum. The Forum is an excellent opportunity for us to highlight our vast ocean energy potential and our strong commitment to developing a thriving clean energy sector. We see ourselves as part of an international community linked by shared goals and would like to welcome all participants to Dublin,” Brian Motherway, Chief Executive of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

The creation of TP Ocean is an important milestone in the development of the sector. Ocean renewable energy has the potential to reduce electricity costs, particularly in islands areas where they can be up to three times above the European average. We will now look forward to working with our European colleagues to make this goal a reality,” Dr Jose Joaquin Hernandez Brito, General Manager, PLOCAN (Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands).