Ports play important role in marine energy developments

Small and medium sized ports (SMPs) have a triple role to play in marine energy developments, it was concluded at BEPPo project’s conference.

The Port of Oostende organised the BEPPo (Blue Energy Production in Ports) conference ‘Ports as hubs for marine renewable energy projects’ at the Greenbridge Incubator centre, Belgium.

During the event, led by the Port of Oostende and with various multi-sector participants from all over Europe, the results on the research carried out by the BEPPo partners were presented.

The key point raised during the discussions is that small and medium sized ports (SMPs) have a triple role to play in marine energy developments: they function not only as the backyard for the blue industry, offering relevant marine services, but they are also excellent sites for testing and monitoring new devices.

In addition, the integration of wave and tidal energy in the port infrastructure can meet SMPs´ own need for electricity, Port of Oostende’s press release reads.

MRE developers were given the to showcase their products and experience. Among others, Advanced Shipbuilding proposed the construction of energy pontoons able to combine various energy production sources (wind, wave, solar, currents).

Resen Energy illustrated its small scale wave energy buoys with simple design that can be organised in flexible groups for larger production.

Sabella showed energy solutions to be deployed on marine and river applications.

WAVENERGY.it explained how its wave resonant converter called REWEC3, which is integrated in the breakwater, is currently being installed at the port of Civitavecchia.

Wave For Energy offered an update on its tests at Pantelleria of the ISWEC system able to convert wave power into electrical power thanks to gyroscopic effects.

The significance the ports can have both in the early developments of marine energy schemes, and in pre-commercial stages, by providing the infrastructure (for test and O&M), through political lobbying and acting as intermediary between the different concerned stakeholders was highlighted during the conference.

BEPPo is a transnational collaborative project between public and private organisations from Belgium, Denmark, Scotland and Norway, which is 50 percent co-funded by European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) within the Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme.

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Image: Port of Oostende