Brussels, 28/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - The Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR) believes in the future of blue energy, which is produced by taking advantage of the power of sea flows. Five projects already exist as part of the Med Maritime Integrated Projects (BLUENE, ENERCOAST, SMART-PORT, Med-IAMER and CoRINThos). The projects have enabled areas in the Mediterranean to be identified that are suitable for implementing different types of infrastructure for marine energy (including tidal; wind, solar and thermal energy). The areas also enable an accurate perspective to be determined as regards the financial resources available and the possible political incentives.
The regions strongly affirmed their faith in this type of energy and they affirmed it again at the end of a seminar that took place in Marseille in December as part of the COM&CAP MarInA-Med project (MED programme 2007-2013), organised by the CPMR in collaboration with the French Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
“The blue energy sector could contribute to the creation of around 10,500 to 26,500 permanent jobs and 14,000 temporary jobs by 2035” said a representative from the European Commission, Christos Theophilou. This “comes perfectly within the framework of the European Union's integrated maritime policy as well as within the strategy for blue growth”. (FB)