Surge in Wave and Tidal Projects Expected in 2020

The international network Ocean Energy Systems is predicting strong advances in ocean energy in 2020, driven by public and private sector funding.

The network's last annual report highlights significant international investment including $25 million pledged by the U.S. Department of Energy to support 12 marine energy projects and Wave Energy Scotland committing £7.7 million ($10 million) in two wave energy machines next year. The European Commission is further investing in a broad set of initiatives and deployments to support this work.

Ocean Energy Systems chairman Henry Jeffrey from the University of Edinburgh said the network is currently working on a series of projects with partners across the 25 member countries and organizations. “In the last 12 months we have seen major progress with global tidal projects achieving extensive operating hours and wave technology progressing in large-scale laboratory and offshore test sites,” he said. “A growing range of devices is now being tested in open water with an acceleration of cross-border R&D projects supported by the European Commission.”

An internationally accepted approach for performance metrics for ocean energy development is under development. 

Ocean Energy Systems was launched in 2001 as a technology collaboration program of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in response to increased ocean wave and tidal current energy activity primarily in Denmark, Portugal and the United Kingdom. The organization now consists of 25 members including specialists from government departments, national energy agencies, as well as research and scientific bodies.