Page 53 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2016 publication
P. 53
SSuummmmeerr 22001166 EEuurrooppeeaann EEnneerrggyy IInnnnoovvaattiioonn 4593
CCOOMMMMUUNNIICCAATTIIOONN
OCEANERA-NET – supporting
innovation in ocean energy
The Ocean Energy European Research Area Network Laminaria Wave Energy Convertor
(OCEANERA-NET) project is funded by the European
Union through Framework Programme 7. It comprises
a network of 15 national and regional funding
agencies from Belgium, France, Ireland, Netherlands,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK, coordinated by
Scottish Enterprise. OCEANERA-NET kicked off in
January 2014 and will run to the end of 2017.
The objective of OCEANERA-NET is to coordinate
activity between European countries and regions to
support research and innovation in ocean energy
(defined as wave and tidal energy, salinity gradient
and ocean thermal energy conversion).
Specifically OCEANERA-NET runs joint calls to http://www.emec.org.uk/research/international-
support collaborative research and development projects/. The LAMWEC project seeks to develop
projects which address identified challenges and and test a full scale (100kW) Laminaria wave energy
promote the competitiveness of the ocean energy device, addressing specific technology challenges
sector in Europe. The first joint call opened in 2014, including a mooring and pulley system that will
with a total budget of €7m. 9 projects were selected support the innovative storm protection system, and
for funding. Projects involve partners from at least a new anchor design for depths of 30 to 70 metres.
two of the participating countries, and generally More information can be found at http://www.
involve collaboration between industry and research laminaria.be/lamwec.html. The MOREDATAS project
institutes. Calls are particularly targeted on small – Methods to Obtain Refined Environmental Data
and medium sized enterprises, to help them build from the Seas – is a collaboration between France,
their capacity for international collaboration and the UK and Ireland. It addresses the need for better
accessing other competitive funding, such as understanding and characterisation of wave and
Horizon 2020. In total, 20 SMEs are involved in the tidal energy resources, to obtain better estimates of
selected projects. These projects cover development Annual Energy Production, improve the investability of
of wave and tidal energy devices, components, wave and tidal energy projects and provide a level of
monitoring and control systems, mooring systems, comfort for commercial lenders and investors.
electrical connections, reliability testing, decision-
making tools, tackling biofouling and corrosion, OCEANERA-NET will run a series of events from autumn
and improving environmental data. A second call 2016, to promote the work of funded projects, support
was launched in February and applications are now knowledge transfer and develop opportunities for
being considered. Information on all the projects will future collaboration, culminating in a final conference in
be published on the OCEANERA-NET website as November 2017. Please register on the project website
they become operational. to receive information about these events. l
Some of the projects funded under the pilot joint call For more information about OCEANERA-NET contact
are now underway. Reliability in a Sea of Risk (RiaSoR) karen.fraser@scotent.co.uk or visit http://www.oceaneranet.eu
will establish industry best practice in reliability
testing for wave and tidal devices, standardise design This project has received funding from the
guidelines and increase safety in marine energy European Union’s Seventh Programme for research,
operations. The project is led by the European Marine technological development and demonstration
Energy Centre. More information can be found at under grant agreement No.618099
wwwwww..eeuurrooppeeaanneenneerrggyyiinnnnoovvaattiioonn..eeuu
