The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), in association with Ocean Energy Europe, will host key decision makers from the European Commission’s DG for Research and Innovation, DG for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and DG Energy to showcase the pioneering advancements that are taking place in marine renewables in Orkney and the global potential that this exciting, innovative sector offers.
Numerous EU-funded projects are currently underway in Orkney, including the Scotrenewables-led Floating Tidal Energy Commercialisation (FloTEC) project, focused on the design and build of a mark 2 SR2000 tidal turbine, and Wello’s Clean Energy for Ocean Waves (CEFOW) project which aims to install a 3MW wave energy array at Billia Croo by 2019. Both projects have received finance from Horizon 2020’s research and innovation programme.
EMEC is also leading the 11 million euro FORESEA project aiming to help bring ocean energy technologies to market by providing access to North-West Europe’s world-leading network of test centres. As a result of this, and the other projects underway, ocean energy activity in Orkney is increasing steadily, with a healthy pipeline of developers looking to bring their technologies to test over the next few years.
To coincide with the high-profile visit from Europe, EMEC is also inviting members of the public and media to an Ocean Energy Open Day on Wednesday 28 June 2017.
“We are delighted to bring a delegation of EU officials to EMEC to see cutting edge ocean energy technologies in action” said Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe. “Europe is currently the global leader in ocean energy technology, and with the right support these technologies can form the bedrock of a mainstream power sector, capable of providing 10 percent of Europe’s electricity supply by 2050.”
An exciting programme of events has been organised to take place, including tours of EMEC’s onshore facilities at the Billia Croo wave test site, and their Caldale substation in Eday.
An ocean energy exhibition will be on display at Warness Park in Kirkwall, featuring presentations on how testing work in Orkney is conquering technical challenges and contributing to industry development in peripheral coastal communities. The event is being organised as part of the Energy Day programme of EU Sustainable Energy Week.
Image: An integrated monitoring pod being deployed at EMEC
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