Page 46 - European Energy Innovation - autumn 2018 publication

46 Autumn 2018 European Energy Innovation
OCEAN ENERGY
A joined-up approach
for ocean energy in the next
financial framework
By Andreea Strachinescu, Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries,
European Commission (pictured)
New technologies are now
allowing mankind to realise conversion (OTEC) can take advantage
the potential of the 71%
of the planet’s surface
covered by oceans for the clean
energy we will need if we are to avoid
a climate catastrophe.
It has been estimated that wave
energy can provide 29,500 TWh/year
for the planet as a whole, 4,100 TWh/
yr of which is in Europe. Tidal energy,
either from the difference in level
of high and low tide (tidal range) or
the horizontal flow (tidal stream) can
generate 106 locations with a strong
tidal stream potential in Europe,
which have been identified, together
offering 48 TWh/yr. Approximately
15% of the total solar energy falling
incident on the oceans is retained as
thermal energy and stored as heat
The research and development
necessary to harness these resources is now
taking off within a European blue research
community that is providing insights and
technologies to move forward across a
whole spectrum of challenges.
in its upper layers. Thermal energy
of the temperature difference
between this upper layer and cooler
waters beneath. Estimates of the
total potential global OTEC energy
resource that could be extracted
without having a major impact on the
thermal characteristics of the world’s or navigation equipment in Asian
oceans range between 30,000 and
90,000 TWh/year.
The research and development
necessary to harness these resources
is now taking off within a European
blue research community that is
providing insights and technologies
to move forward across a whole
spectrum of challenges. The EU has
played a major role in supporting
this research, with approximately
€350 million a year from successive
Framework Programmes. All of
this is supporting a world-leading
European industry. Europe already
leads in cruise shipping and dredging
vessels. Many leading companies
in underwater technology have
developed round the petroleum fields
of the North Sea. Much propulsion
shipyards comes from Europe. Now
Europe is at the forefront of offshore
renewable energy – floating wind
farms, tidal energy.
But, we cannot stand still. We need
to build on this. Business innovation
in the areas of offshore energy,
aquaculture, biotechnology, data
services, seabed activities builds on
insights gained in research. We need
to join everything up. The challenges
are similar and lessons learned in one
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