Page 33 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2020 publication
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Spring 2020 European Energy Innovation 33
OCEAN ENERGY
The EU will mobilise all its activity will harm ecosystems, but it involuntariness, high risk to
instruments to achieve these offers an opportunity to accompany future generation and (4) process
goals with increasing emphasis the development with measures - characteristics of the decision-
on combining the different tools. that enhance ecosystems. The making process such as transparency,
Its research programmes and ecosystems will be different but consultation and collaboration.
investment programmes have played not necessarily “worse”. The EU
a significant role in putting Europe at has financed studies to collect The Commission’s new ocean literacy
the forefront of international efforts data on environmental parameters platform will help the public better
for renewable energy. As we move round offshore energy devices. It is understand the ocean’s influence on
into the next programming period extremely important that data from humanity and humanity’s influence
2021-2027, a convergence between these studies and others are not on the ocean in order to promote
the two programmes – research lost once the projects end. We will more informed opinions on proposed
and investment - will increase not be able to assess the impact of new developments. It will build on
that support. The new European new installations if we do not know the increasing emphasis on literacy in
Innovation Council which is part of the state before they were deployed. the United Nations Decade of Ocean
the new Horizon Europe research The EU has therefore provided the Science for Sustainable Development
programme will increase efforts to means to safeguard and curate and mobilise actors across the
turn science into business and the the data. It has gathered over 100 entire civil spectrum, with a special
new InvestEU programme which organisations together in a European emphasis on youth. After all, ocean
replaces the European Fund for Marine Observation and Data energy will help safeguard their
Strategic Investment will focus on Network that provides free access future. l
supporting EU policies. Under the to data repositories on habitats and
present scheme which focused on ecosystems in all European waters © European Union, 2020
emerging from the economic crisis, it with common nomenclature, formats
was enough to not violate any EU law, and baselines. This document reflects the views only of the
for example by construction within authors, and the Commission cannot be held
a nature protection zone. Now, the This curation of marine data is responsible for any use which may be made of
European Investment Bank and other especially relevant as the quantity the information contained therein.
implementing partners will actively is set to increase dramatically. Reproduction is authorised provided the source
focus on meeting EU goals. There are already demonstrations is acknowledged.
of new sensors that can analyse
A number of pilot schemes are contaminants automatically without
already underway with particular the need to bring samples back to
emphasis on innovative small and the laboratory. It has been shown
medium enterprises. For instance, the that analysis of trace DNA in water
EU has set up a BlueInvest initiative can identify the presence of marine
which gathers investors, accelerators, species. Autonomous airborne,
incubators and entrepreneurs surface or underwater vehicles can
together in an innovation and further reduce the cost of surveys.
investment community. Enterprises
can apply for coaching to become But, even if scientists agree that
more business-savvy or grants to the technology does no harm,
bring their product or service from experience indicates that public
demonstration to the market. More hostility could be a blocker. An
than €40 million will be offered in analysis of public perception of new
2020. A blue invest fund will inject energy technologies identifies four
€75 million into venture capital funds factors that influence attitudes.
specialising in the blue economy. (1) people – sex, age, ethnicity,
These can then support companies income and education (2) place -
that can not only generate revenue historical experiences with similar
but also contribute to EU goals such technologies and industries or
as decarbonisation. residence in a ‘green’ neighbourhood
(3) technology - perceived lack
The offshore activity needs to have an of control, catastrophic potential,
observed history. It does not follow fatal consequences, inequitable
that the increase in planned offshore distribution of costs and benefits,
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