On Tuesday 28 March, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published a study highlighting the swift progress made in the EU’s marine energy. The study shows that this is partly due to increased support provided for overcoming the technological and financial obstacles throughout the European energy system, which has helped it become a European sector leader.
In 2016, the EU was the global leader in the development of marine energy technologies hosting most of the global developers (52% of tidal stream and 60% of wave energy developers). However, the installation of ocean energy devices is taking place at a slower pace than expected, with only 14MW of ocean energy installed capacity at the end of 2016, instead of 641MW declared by the EU member states in their national renewable energy action plans.
There is no lack of projects in the EU and European projects could reach 600MW of tidal stream and 65MW of wave energy capacity by 2020. By just taking into account projects that have already secured funding, 71MW of tidal stream and 37MW of wave energy capacity could be operational within the EU in 2020.
The study demonstrates that tidal and waves energy generation technologies are at a more advanced stage than ocean thermal energy conversion or salinity gradient. The first two technologies are poised to provide the most significant contribution in the European energy system in the short-to-medium term. However, the reduction of costs of about 75% by 2025, is necessary for both wave and tidal energy technologies to meet the target set out in the relevant SET-Plan Declaration of Intent.
Ocean energy is at the focus of EU decarbonisation policies and there is a strong commitment from the EU to back its development, from supporting projects at research and development stage, to demonstration plants and regional collaboration. The Ocean Energy Forum, supported by the European Technology and Innovation Platform for Ocean Energy, have presented the Commission and stakeholders with the Ocean Energy Strategic Roadmap identifying key hurdles and specific recommendations for each ocean energy technology.
Strong mechanisms at European level are in place to support the development of technology from early stage prototypes through commercialisation. The Horizon 2020 programme alone has been funding with over €60 million R&D projects in wave and tidal energy in 2014-16 and NER 300, InnovFin and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) mechanisms are supporting the deployment of demonstration projects. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)