The IEA Technology Collaboration Programme on Ocean Energy Systems (OES) today (March 8) released its 2020 Annual Report that highlights its efforts to spur stronger international collaboration to tackle the ocean energy challenges, providing a sound and shared knowledge on numerous key issues. The report further shows that successful deployments have taken place in all corners of the world from Australia, through Asia and Europe to North America. Some of these demonstration projects have been grid-connected reaffirming the potential role of ocean energy in the achievement of decarbonisation goals.
Henry Jeffrey, Chairman of OES over the past 4 years, until December 2020, underlined that wave and tidal stream sources has more than doubled since 2017 reaching approximately 65 MW in 2020 and, and slowly approaching the OES vision of 300 GW of global capacity by 2050. Policies are stimulating the ocean energy sector in all corners of the world.
He said, "more countries have implemented market instruments for the ocean energy industry to progress towards commercialization; also, member countries in all continents have continued fostering technology research and innovation with new funding, and have created knowledge exchange opportunities between academia, industry and governments."
The new elected IEA-OES chairman Yann-Hervé De Roeck from France Energies Marines said "as emerging technologies, ocean energies must express a specific and unified voice of commitment in the urgent worldwide decarbonation of energy production. The natural potential of ocean energy is such that, if in some part of the world, the local situation (economic, regulatory, etc.) is favorable for a successful deployment of wave, tidal range/stream, oceanic current, OTEC or salinity gradient, these solutions can develop rapidly, as long as a group of recognized experts like the IEA-OES is able to shape international communication efforts."
Throughout 2020, OES members have joined forces, combining world-leading knowledge and expertise to tackle key challenges affecting the ocean energy industry. The OES-Environmental Task (OES-E) involving fifteen nations led by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and implemented by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been implemented several outreach actions to engage the ocean energy community, with particular emphasis on researchers, regulators, and developers. A new study Ocean Energy in Islands and Remote Coastal Areas´ highlighted the benefits of ocean energy to facilitate the energy transition as well as sustainable development in small islands and remote coastal areas. Further attention has been dedicated to international performance evaluation' of ocean energy technologies with strong support from the European Commission, the US Department of Energy and from Wave Energy Scotland. This work is focused on the definition of a fully defined set of metrics and success thresholds for wave energy technologies in efforts to develop an internationally accepted approach. A report discussing the benefits of common evaluation approaches in the ocean energy sector and the use of common language was released in January 2021. The OES Annual Report covers these activities and further give an overview of ocean energy policies, R&D projects and technology progress around the globe.
Twenty two Member Countries and the European Commission are members of the IEA-OES, providing a broad international base of information, sharing experience and knowledge and further a diversified representation of interests: members are from governmental departments, utilities, universities and research organizations, energy agencies and industry associations. This is one of the benefits of joining OES: participants gain an international perspective on ocean energy issues, opportunities and present challenges.
The IEA-OES Annual Report 2020 is available here
For more information on Ocean Energy Systems visit www.ocean-energy-systems.org email info@ocean-energy-systems.org or call +351 21 848 2655.
Ocean Energy Systems (OES)
Ocean Energy Systems (OES) is also known as the Technology Collaboration Programme on Ocean Energy Systems' under the International Energy Agency (IEA). It is an intergovernmental collaboration between countries, which operates under a framework established by the International Energy Agency in Paris. Presently, the OES has 24 member countries with a number of other observer countries in the process of joining. The OES connects organisations and individuals working in the ocean energy sector to accelerate the viability, uptake and acceptance of ocean energy systems in an environmentally acceptable manner. The work of the OES covers all forms of energy generation in which sea water forms the motive power through its physical and chemical properties, i.e. wave, tidal range, tidal and ocean currents, ocean thermal energy conversion and salinity gradients.
The OES international co-operation facilitates:
Securing access to advanced R&D teams in the participating countries;
Developing a harmonized set of measures and testing protocols for the testing of prototypes;
Reducing national costs by collaborating internationally;
Creating valuable international contacts between government, industry and science;
Sharing information and networking.
International Energy Agency (IEA)
Established in 1974, the International Energy Agency (IEA) carries out a comprehensive programme of energy co-operation for its 29 member countries and beyond by examining the full spectrum of energy issues and advocating policies that will enhance energy security, economic development, environmental awareness and engagement worldwide.
The Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP)
The TCP supports the work of independent, international groups of experts that enable governments and industries from around the world to lead programmes and projects on a wide range of energy technologies and related issues. The experts in these collaborations work to advance the research, development and commercialisation of energy technologies. The scope and strategy of each collaboration is in keeping with the IEA Shared Goals of energy security, environmental protection and economic growth, as well as engagement worldwide. The Technology Collaboration Programme was created with a belief that the future of energy security and sustainability starts with global collaboration. The programme is made up of 6,000 experts across government, academia, and industry dedicated to advancing common research and the application of specific energy technologies.
