The European Strategy for Offshore Renewables will provide a boost to renewable ocean energy technologies like wave and tidal, according to trade group Ocean Energy Europe.
The strategy is committed to support a pipeline of 100MW of ocean energy projects in the water by 2025, and at least 1GW by 2030.
A 2050 deployment target of 40GW provides a good starting point for building out the sector over the longer term, said Ocean Energy Europe.
“That said, the ocean energy industry has ambitions far beyond this target – and Europe should too,” stated the group.
Ocean Energy Europe CEO Remi Gruet (pictured) said: “The message from the ocean energy sector is clear: we are more than ready for this.
“We are confident the case for ocean energy will be self-evident once 100MW has hit the water.
“The strategy is an encouraging start to the coming decade – what we need now is to transform aspirations into actions.”
Ocean Energy Europe is also calling for a “swift, concrete implementation” of the strategy’s actions.
“There is no time to lose in mapping out how exactly the EU and member states will deliver this investment, so that Europe – and its ocean energy developers – can keep a competitive edge,” stated the group.
Gruet added: “Offshore renewables projects bring long-term benefits, but they also take time to get into the water – the ocean energy sector, the Commission and national governments need to roll up their sleeves and start implementing the strategy right away.”
Revising the State Aid guidelines to ensure they are fit-for-purpose and enable national support is another “crucial component” of the strategy.
Demonstration projects for emerging technologies “don’t undermine competition and should be explicitly excluded from future State Aid rules”, said the group.
High-level member state participation is critical, said Ocean Energy Europe.
The strategy also highlights the importance of sea access and grid development for offshore renewables.
“A new framework for long-term offshore grid planning and clear objectives in national maritime spatial plans will go a long way towards providing the kind of regulation and infrastructure that the roll-out of ocean energy requires,” stated the group.