Page 47 - European Energy Innovation - autumn 2018 publication
P. 47
Autumn 2018 European Energy Innovation 47
OCEAN ENERGY
domain can be applied in another. pressure for sea space. Unlike on bet. The European Investment Bank
Underwater robotics, lightweight land, different economic activities, and the European Fund for Strategic
materials and anti-biofouling mussel farming and wind farms for Investment have already helped the
coatings are reducing the cost and instance, can share the same waters; offshore wind energy industry reach a
increasing the reliability of offshore The EU now obliges authorities to point that it is competitive with dirtier
installations for both renewable draw up plans defining what can fossil fuel technologies. They are
energy and marine transport. and what cannot take place in each now looking at some of the smaller
Understanding how DNA affects area. These outline permissions then companies that provide services all
species characteristics is already reduce the time taken for licensing across the blue economy and that
revolutionising pharmaceuticals and thus reduce risk. will drive the innovation needed to
and fish farming. It promises to realise the promise of the ocean. l
deliver biofuel from algae without Then deciding where to deploy
diminishing precious land or these new structures requires © European Union, 2018
freshwater resources. This was knowledge of parameters such as
recognised in the Commission’s 2014 seafloor topography, sediments, This document reflects the
Communication on Blue Innovation. waves and salinity. Ensuring that views only of the authors, and
the environmental impact is with the Commission cannot be held
In the next Multi-Annual Financial acceptable limits requires knowledge responsible for any use which
Framework setting out the of the distribution and diversity may be made of the information
Commissions’ proposal for of marine life. The EU’s European contained therein.
spending in the years 2021-2028, Marine Observation and Data Network
presented in early May this year, (EMODnet) has brought together Reproduction is authorised
the Commission has indicated that marine data held by hundreds of provided the source is
research and innovation will be organisations into seamless digital acknowledged.
boosted compared to the present seabed maps that reduce the time
Horizon2020 programme, both in and effort needed to deliver these
absolute terms and as a proportion plans and assessments. This
of the total. Within this programme,
the Commission is looking how to Better communication and joint
stimulate and increase cross-sectoral planning are not only needed across
cooperation between the different the different research themes but
strands of the marine and maritime also between industry, education and
domain. research. Knowledge and Innovation
Communities (KICs) have been very
And it is looking at improving successful in bringing these sectors
coordination between EU together in the energy domain. The
programmes and national European Institute of Technology has
programmes. For example dialogue proposed a new one in the marine
and collaboration for Europe’s energy and maritime area. This would deliver
transition is structured through the the cross-fertilisation, expertise,
Strategic Energy Technology (SET) knowledge and ideas that industry
Plan. According to the SET Plan, clean needs to stay ahead of the game
energy investments on research and by providing educational courses in
innovation from the private sector are entrepreneurship, acceleration of
estimated at 77% of the total, while promising ideas and joint projects
investments from national budgets between industry and academia.
are at 18% and the EU level support
at 5%. This shows the importance of The last piece of the jigsaw is
creating synergies and of triggering money. Financial institutions and
the private investments that will fund managers are now looking at
contribute to reach our energy and the opportunities. Many see that in
climate objectives and promote EU a planet with increasing population
competitiveness. and diminishing terrestrial resources,
investing in the blue economy will,
All this is leading to increased in the long term, be a good financial
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