The first call for applications in the €13m Ocean DEMO initiative has opened and will run until 1 July 2019.
The initiative, which is funded by Interreg North-West Europe, aims to accelerate the transition in marine energy from single prototype to multi-device wave and tidal farms.
Successful applicants to Ocean DEMO will receive free access to test their ocean energy products and services in real sea environments at the project’s network of test centres, including the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in the UK and SmartBay in Ireland.
Technology developers can apply for support packages to test multi-device farms or single devices able to scale up to multi-device in the future. Call documents are available on the Ocean DEMO website.
EMEC programme manager and Ocean DEMO project leader Nicolas Wallet said: “We’re looking forward to receiving the first applications for Ocean DEMO. This new project is a tremendous opportunity for growth in the ocean energy industry.
“Several past projects such as FORESEA have proven ocean energy technologies’ great potential, it is now time to scale up.”
Wallet said reaching the multi-device farms stage will result in economies of scale, significantly improving ocean energy technologies’ competitiveness, and will drive innovation across the supply chain.
“The cost reduction will in turn attract new investors and promote further growth in the ocean energy sector,” he added.
SmartBay Ireland business development and projects coordinator Mairead Elliott said: “The test centres available through Ocean DEMO are amongst the best in the world.
“With its focus on multi-device farms, Ocean DEMO will help technology developers take an important step towards commercialisation. We’re looking forward to working with them, getting their technologies in the water and contributing to the growth of the ocean energy sector.”