Environment Archives

Forum for Sectoral Dialogue for Ocean Energy

The new Forum for Sectoral Dialogue for Ocean Energy consists of the former ETIP Ocean Steering Committee, the SET Plan Implementation Working Group for Ocean Energy and other national and regional public authorities active in the sector.

As such, it brings together the leading ocean energy companies, research organisations and public authorities who are driven to accelerate the sector’s development.

The objective of the Forum is to drive the scale-up of ocean energy through transnational exchanges on key challenges.

Members of the Steering Committee

Industry & academia members of the Forum

Ms Fiona Buckley (Chair)

Senior Expert and Project Manager - ENGIE

France / Belgium

Mrs Ana Brito e Melo

Senior Advisor - WavEC

Portugal

Mr Peter Frigaard

Associate Professor - Aalborg University

Denmark

Mr Yago Torre-Enciso

Technical Director - BiMEP

Spain

Mr Christopher Ridgewell

Chief Executive Officer - AW-Energy

Finland

Mr Michael Bullock

Director - Renewable Risk Advisors

United Kingdom

Mr Benjamin Lehner

CEO - DMEC

The Netherlands

Mr Guillaume Gréau

Head of Business Development - HydroQuest

France

Mr Simon Forrest

CEO - Nova Innovation

United Kingdom

Ocean energy technologies exploit the power of tides and waves to produce energy.

Oceans have huge potential as sources of renewable energy. Several technologies are under development to harness that energy to power human activity. Currently the most promising technologies with the largest resource in Europe are tidal stream and wave energy.

Tidal stream energy

Tidal currents are caused by the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon. A tidal stream moving fast enough for energy generation occurs at locations where water has to pass through a confined area such as islands or inlets. The tide comes in and out approximately twice a day.

Tidal stream devices generate electricity by turning the kinetic energy caused by the tidal stream into electricity, usually by the turning of blades around a central axis in a tidal turbine.

Since tidal stream energy production is not influenced by weather conditions but only by well-known cycles of the moon, sun and earth, it is predictable hundreds of years in advance.

Tidal stream technologies are approaching commercialisation, with the deployment of full-scale devices in real sea conditions, as well as an increasing number of pilot farms.

Image source: SIMEC Atlantis Energy

Horizontal axis tidal stream turbine

A horizontal axis tidal stream turbine generates electricity from the rotation of the blades around a horizontal axis when driven by the tidal stream water flow. They can be seabed mounted or floating. Most tidal stream generation has converged to this type of generator.

Image source: HydroQuest

Vertical axis tidal stream turbine

A vertical axis tidal stream turbine generates electricity from the rotation of the blades around a vertical axis when driven by the tidal stream water flow.

Image source: Minesto

Tidal kite

A tidal kite is attached to the seabed with a turbine attached below its ‘wing’, and ‘flies’ under water, catching the tidal stream with the main blade and turning a small horizontal axis turbine to generate electricity. Tidal kites can extract more energy from slower flows.

Wave energy

Waves are caused by the movement of the wind on the surface of the ocean. Wave energy is generated by converting the kinetic energy in the movement of the waves into electricity. This is done in many ways and there are multiple forms of wave energy converters. Wave energy may converge to several different designs, each tailored to extract energy most efficiently from different local conditions.

Wave energy can provide utility scale power production. It also has applications for remote islands replacing expensive and polluting diesel-powered production. Furthermore, wave energy can power offshore industries such as fish farms, and oil & gas platforms.

The most advanced device developers are now planning and building the first wave energy farms around Europe. These pilot farms will serve as a basis for commercialising wave energy technology.

Image source: AW-Energy

Point absorber

The point absorber is a floating structure that absorbs energy through the movement of the waves at the water’s surface

Image source: AW-Energy

Oscillating wave surge converter

The oscillating wave surge converter is usually mounted on the seabed in shallower water, and harnesses energy through an oscillating flap.

Image source: Mocean Energy

Hinged attenuator

The hinged attenuator floats on the water surface. It generates electricity based on the movement of the structure segments relative to one another due to the movement of the waves.

Image source: Ocean Energy Ltd

Oscillating water column

The oscillating water column is a partially submerged, hollow structure open to the sea water below the surface, trapping air above the water. The air is channelled through an air turbine.

Image source: Wello

Rotating mass

The rotating mass is a floating, unbalanced device. The movement due to the waves causes the unbalanced weight inside to move and generate electricity.

Resources

Environment

Research report

2016 State of the Science Report – Environmental effects of marine renewable energy development

By Andrea Copping

28 Mar 2016

Environment

Research report

Wave and tidal have little long-term effects on wildlife, according to a study

01 Jan 2017

Knowledge Hub: Environment

Ocean energy and the environment: Research and strategic actions

Report from the first workshop

Priorities for Ocean Energy

Useful

General