The first Pan-American Marine Energy Conference (PAMEC) dedicated to promoting research and development (R&D) in all marine energy technologies across the Americas will be held in 2020.
The conference, which will take place in San Jose, Costa Rica in January, is being organised by PAMEC Energy Association.
The aim is to complement similar research collaboration conferences, including the European Wave and Tidal Energy Conferences (EWTEC) and the Asian Wave and Tidal Energy Conference (AWTEC).
PAMEC Energy Association president Bruce Cameron said the organisation will coordinate all R&D efforts in relation to all marine and ocean energy technologies, bar fixed bottom offshore wind, across Canada, the US, Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Marine renewable energy technologies covered by the conference programme include floating offshore wind, wave, tidal and ocean thermal currents, but also microgrid and integration of these resources into the grid.”
He said in countries such as Chile which has a long coastline but where many communities are without grid access marine, ocean and tidal resources can provide a clean source of power.
“Part of our work is also focused on building policy support for marine renewables across the region,” said Cameron.
Panamec Energy Association was launched in August 2018. “The feedback we took from various organisations and stakeholders in marine renewables was to get going on organising the event.”
The programme is still being finalised but Cameron says he hopes to have representation from the UK, including EMEC in Scotland. He said interest from Latin America is high, with a delegation from Mexico expected to attend.