Europe’s wave and tidal sector will require action from the EU and its Member States to get pilot array projects in the water, according to the final report from the SI Ocean project.
The project’s Market Deployment Strategy stated that completing these early projects in the short term is crucial if Europe is to maintain its frontrunner advantage and capture a new industrial market in the next decade. The SI Ocean project will present its findings to the Ocean Energy Forum; which will meet tomorrow (11 June) in Dublin.
The report, produced by RenewableUK and Ocean Energy Europe, presents the benefits that a strong wave and tidal sector would create for Europe’s economies and societies. It then identifies the main barriers to industrialisation that the sector is facing and provides recommendations for policy makers on how to address them. Barriers were identified under four categories: finance; technology; environmental regulation and grid access.
Dr Sian George, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe and Chairperson of the SI Ocean Advisory Board, said: “SI Ocean has clearly identified the importance of getting several pilot arrays plugged in and operational in the near future. It is also clear that these arrays are pre-commercial, demonstration projects and need to be supported accordingly, which is an important message for policy makers.”
RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Maria McCaffery said: “The wave and tidal sector’s ability to reduce risk related to finance, technology, project consenting and grid access for ocean energy projects over the next decade will determine when we start to see industrial roll out. The SI Ocean project has produced a solid strategy for this to happen, which the Ocean Energy Forum will now use as a basis for its Strategic Roadmap.”