OEE appoints new presidents to steer ocean energy sector

Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) has appointed DP Energy’s Simon De Pietro and CorPower Ocean’s Patrik Möller as its new co-presidents to steer the ocean energy sector through crucial period.

The pairing brings together both technology and project development perspectives, and a wealth of experience in ocean energy, according to OEE, an industry group representing Europe’s ocean energy sector.

The appointments come at a crucial time for the ocean energy sector, as the push to scale up and industrialise intensifies, and the shift towards 100% renewable energy sources picks up pace.

Together with the OEE board of directors, the co-presidents will steer the sector’s course over the coming years, as ocean energy positions itself as a key part of decarbonising the world’s energy supply, OEE said.

The board has also welcomed seven new directors, elected by the OEE membership. This election ensures that the association’s board continues to represent a diverse cross-section of the industry across Europe, and maintains its high-level orientation, noted OEE.

The newly elected Directors are Matthew Finn, commercial director at European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC); Marlène Kiersnowski, manager at SEENEOH Tidal Test Site; Tony Lewis, Beaufort Professor Emeritus at MaREI; Patrik Möller, CEO of Corpower Ocean; Pablo Ruiz Minguela, head of wave energy at Tecnalia; Oliver Wragg, commercial director at Orbital Marine Power; and Britta Schaffmeister, CEO of Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC).

Patrik Möller, the newly-elected OEE co-president, said: “OEE plays a hugely important role, engaging at the highest political level and raising awareness of ocean energy, as one of the largest untapped sources of clean energy on earth.

“The next three years will be particularly exciting as we transition to commercial operations with several technology suppliers entering the market with bankable products”.

Simon De Pietro added: “We are entering a period that will prove to be the defining moment for ocean energy, as it takes its place within the broader renewables sector alongside wind and solar.

“Whilst the term ‘ocean energy’ covers a range of technologies, it is notable that both wave and tidal technologies have taken major steps forward in recent years. Both are progressing towards commercial readiness – as standalone projects, but also as part of hybrid renewable technology deployments, co-located with shared infrastructure.

“For example, hybrid offshore floating wind and wave generation could, and should, be a game-changer for our shared ambition of a reliable and flexible electricity network in a carbon-neutral world”.

Welcoming the newly elected co-presidents, Rémi Gruet, CEO of OEE, said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome Simon and Patrik as Co-Presidents of OEE. Both have been long-standing figures of the ocean energy sector and have already contributed greatly to its development. Their experience and projects put them in a great position to grasp the challenges and opportunities ahead, and to guide the sector towards success. I look forward to working with them over the next three years”.