Catching the energy wave
The Commission wants to revive interest in harnessing the power of the seas
The idea of deriving energy from the movement of the waves or the turning of tides has been around for decades, yet these are still considered emerging technologies. Now the European Commission has come up with a strategy amied at permitting ocean energy to make a significant contribution to Europe’s energy mix.
Wave and tidal power were both selected for development in the initial enthusiasm for renewables following the oil crisis of the 1970s, but in the mid-1980s public support dried up. “There was a very clear hiatus and there were a number of pioneers who kept the sector going throughout Europe on very little,” says Sian George, who heads Ocean Energy Europe, an umbrella body for the sector.
As climate change rose higher on the political agenda, policymakers again showed interest in ocean energy, and from 2000 public funding began to flow again. But private investment faltered. “We have seen a degree of risk fatigue and investment fatigue on the part of the private sector, compounded by the crisis, hard investment times and the total withdrawal of the venture-capital sector from any high-risk, high capital proposition,” says George.
This situation – a promising group of technologies stalled at the demonstration and deployment stage – is what the Commission sets out to address in its communication on ‘blue energy’ released on January 20. This covers wave and tidal power, along with more complex approaches such as ocean thermal energy conversion and salinity gradient power. The aim is to create a clear, stable and supportive policy framework that will attract investment to ocean energy and develop its potential. The Commission draws a parallel with offshore wind power and believes that the potential for ocean energy is comparable.
Its main initiative is the establishment of an Ocean Energy Forum, bringing the sector together with other marine industries. This is intended to help develop a strategic roadmap for the sector, setting out clear targets for its industrial development. This in turn could be the basis for a European Industrial Initiative, hosting large-scale technology development projects.
While the creation of a talking-shop might seem timid, it is exactly what the sector wants. “Here is an opportunity to share knowledge between different member states, facilitated by the Commission,” says George. “This is exactly the kind of thing that the Commission should be doing.”
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She feels that the forum will be crucial in getting public authorities to share experience in removing administrative barriers to ocean energy, such as licensing and consenting procedures, and also for comparing market incentives. Similarly, there is a need to co-ordinate technology development, closing a gap that has opened up between industry’s priorities and those currently receiving support from EU programmes.
The industry is also looking for a serious conversation on investment, both to fill the funding gap for early-stage, high-risk demonstration projects, and also for getting private equity into small and medium-sized enterprises.