Oceanera-Net launches €17 million ocean energy call

A new €17 million ocean energy call to support the development of ocean energy technologies has been launched by Scottish Enterprise on behalf of the Oceanera-Net Cofund project consortium.

Financed by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, the initiative will open next month to companies and research organisations in Scotland, Brittany, Pays de La Loire, Ireland, Spain, Sweden and the Basque Country.

The fund will support collaborative research projects which demonstrate and validate ocean energy technologies under six call topics, including ocean energy devices, components and subsystems, grid connection and power systems, materials and structures, installation, operations and maintenance, and resource assessment.

Projects should be industry led, must involve a minimum of two independent organisations from two different countries, involve demonstration and be completed within three years, according to Oceanera-Net Cofund project website.

Jan Reid of Scottish Enterprise’s marine and low carbon technologies team said: “This project provides a significant opportunity for collaboration and innovation in ocean energy. Companies can choose to participate with European partners in what I hope will be new breakthrough projects to demonstrate the potential for ocean energy in renewable energy generation.”

The Oceanera-Net Cofund project will run from 2018 until 2021.