Mocean Energy has been named as one of six developers recommended for support by the EU’s Ocean DEMO project under its fourth call.
The Scottish company has been awarded support to allow for the extended testing of its Blue X wave energy converter at European Marine Energy Centre’s (EMEC’s) Scapa Flow test site in the UK.
Support has also been awarded to Dutch Wave Power to validate, test and demonstrate a 1:3 scale WEC prototype at the Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC), as well as for Aquantis to build and test its simplified AQ08 prototype at EMEC.
EMEC will also host the University of Edinburgh in allowing it to test a system for the measurement of 3D fluid velocities in dynamic coastal waters.
OV Wind will be given support to develop a concrete floating platform for the offshore wind industry at the SmartBay facility while LHYFE Labs will be given the opportunity design and install the first offshore electrolysis unit in the world to be operated from shore at SEM REV.
Ocean DEMO is a €13m project, funded by Interreg North-West Europe, that aims to accelerate ocean energy’s transition and allows successful applicants to receive free access to test their ocean energy products and services in real sea environments.
The project aims to ease the transition of ocean energy towards multi-device farms by providing free access to open sea test sites.
These facilities include the EMEC in the UK, DMEC in the Netherlands, SEM REV in France and SmartBay in Ireland.
The support packages provide a real boost to technology developers by allowing them to test their pioneering ocean energy technologies at sea and also helps them attract further investment and move along the path to commercialisation, Interreg said.
DMEC business and innovation advisor Koen Donkers said: “We reviewed the applications for Ocean DEMO’s 4th call with great interest. The project’s already promising pipeline will be strengthened by demonstrating these marine energy technologies in real sea conditions.
“After a fruitful 2021, this 4th call will help 2022 become another successful year of deployments for the Ocean DEMO project.”