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Reference document
Own-initiative opinion
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Draft opinion of the European Committee of the Regions –
Developing the potential of Ocean Energy
I.
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
THE EUROPEAN
COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
Importance of Ocean Energy
1.
underlines the important contribution of Ocean Energy to meeting
the future energy needs not just of the European Union, but also
globally; also welcomes its inclusion as one of the five priority
areas of the Blue Growth Strategy and believes that the EU could be
an important global player in the sphere of ocean energy;
2.
notes that by providing a reliable and predictable renewable energy
source Ocean Energy has the potential to:
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help deliver the EUs Climate and Renewable Energy commitments;
-
contribute to diversification of the energy mix;
-
contribute to energy security goals and help reduce intermittency
of energy supply;
-
create jobs and growth, contributing to diversification and
regeneration of EU ports, island and coastal communities, many of
which are in remote parts of the EU, and to tourism/leisure
industries and aquaculture;
-
provide a rich source of intellectual capital, research, knowledge,
innovation and skills enhancement (including in engineering,
testing, manufacturing, transportation, installation, operation and
maintenance of ocean energy facilities, port facilities);
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providing wider environmental benefits, for example coastal flood
defences, stimulating new marine ecologies;
3.
points out that the fact that ocean energy involves so many
different techniques means that it has to be developed at many
different levels and in various contexts. The EU could be a
successful global player in this sphere given its many coastal
regions;
4.
notes the European Ocean Energy Roadmap (EOER) 2010-2050
estimates:
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Up to half a million jobs could be created in the EU by 2050,
26 000 direct jobs by 2020.
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Ocean Energy could satisfy 10 to 15% of EU power demand in 2050
(100 GW
is suggested), powering 115 m homes.
-
Switching to ocean energy could see significant reductions in
CO2 emissions of 2.61m tonnes by 2020 and 136.3m
tonnes by 2050.
5.
recognises the Atlantic Ocean has the highest potential for Ocean
Energy in the EU, however, underlines the important contribution
from the EUs other seas and water basins, including North Sea,
Baltic Sea, English Channel, and Mediterranean;
6.
recognises, the potential of clean Ocean Energy to the EUs many
islands; harnessing this energy could contribute to the energy
autonomy of islands and of peripheral maritime regions
whilst also offering enormous
economic and social development potential through creation of local
employment in these communities, including opportunities for the
many small and medium-sized ports in the EU;
7.
emphasises that development of the Ocean Energy sector is of
interest to the whole of the EU: opportunities to invest in
research, knowledge, skills and development, manufacture and export
of components, development of supply chains, are not restricted to
coastal/island areas;
8.
emphasises the importance of an holistic approach to offshore
renewable energy. A number of the challenges facing the Ocean
Energy are shared with other offshore energy sources, for example
access to grid and connectivity, and skills development;
9.
notes the different types of Ocean Energy (see point 1 of the
Explanatory Statement): Tidal Range (e.g. Tidal Lagoons), Tidal
stream, Wave Energy, Salinity Gradient Energy, and Ocean Thermal
Energy Conversion (OTEC);
10.
notes the technologies for these different Ocean Energies are at
varying stages of maturity, and with the exception of Tidal Range
all are at the research and development stage, mainly small-scale
pilots, no commercial-scale arrays in operation, with no consensus
yet on preferred technology devices;
11.
stresses however that tidal stream and wave energy converters are
attracting increasing commercial interest and may become
increasingly relevant in the medium and long-term as they can
generate energy at a wide range of locations.
The EU and its
regions at the forefront … for how long?
12.
notes that the EU is currently at the forefront globally in
developing the sector, with a plethora of small-scale demonstration
and research activities in place (see point 2 of the Explanatory
Statement), over 500 companies active in the ocean energy
sector, and over 50% of the tidal energy activity globally; some
projects have also reached financial close;
13.
recognises that in many cases the
drive towards developing ocean and marine energy is coming from
sub-Member State level, for example, Cornwall, Brittany, Aquitaine,
Pays de la Loire, Basse Normandie, the Basque Country, Cantabria,
Galicia, Scotland, Wales, Flanders, Region Västra
Götaland and more;
14.
notes, however, that despite industrial interest the engagement of
a number of multinationals and energy utilities in research and
development activities, the scale of investment has not matched
other renewables sectors and deployment targets envisaged for 2020
have not been met;
15.
recognises that without sufficient action the EU risks losing its
global leadership.
Challenges to
development of Ocean Energy
16.
highlights a number of inter-linked barriers to be overcome facing
the growth of the sector:
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Technological
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Financial
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Administrative/governance (including consenting/planning issues and
availability/access to data)
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Grid related issues (connectivity)
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Environmental impact.
17.
underlines that whilst these challenges need to be addressed
collectively, technology and financial challenges are particularly
pressing, as without proof of concept and reliable technology the
industry will find it challenging to achieve a breakthrough and
prove viable;
18.
expresses its concern that the early stage of much of the Ocean
Energy technology, combined with the high costs associated with
testing in the ocean and seas – particularly in harsh and
unpredictable conditions – provides a major barrier to
large-scale investment, thus hampering advancements in
technological development; this is a particular problem for private
investors as proof of concept and scalability of technology are
both key factors in access to finance and in unit cost
reduction;
19.
reiterates the importance of
environmental considerations set out in the Marine Strategy
Framework Directive and its recent opinion on this
subject;
supports further research and innovation to develop sustainable
Ocean Energy solutions for testing and deployment activities, since
the introduction of energy into the sea (noise, light, heat and
radiation) affects the marine environment and marine
ecosystems;
20.
calls on lessons to be learnt from the wind and offshore wind
sector, notably for companies and research institutes to
collaborate to avoid duplication of efforts and funding, and in
fostering standardisation within the industry, which is necessary
to enhance cost competitiveness.
EU level action
and stronger coordination/cooperation
21.
asserts that, given the scale of investments required to realise
the potential of the Ocean Energy sector, coordinated actions
between the different layers of governance in the EU is essential,
including a pivotal role for the European Commission, the European
Investment Bank, the European Parliament, and other EU
institutions, working in cooperation with Member States, local and
regional authorities (LRAs), research institute and universities,
NGOs, the emerging industry, and potential investors;
22.
welcomes the initiative of the European Commission to set up an
Ocean Energy Forum tasked with the publication of an Ocean Energy
Roadmap to steer the development of this sector and intends with its opinion to ensure the
roadmap takes due account of the strong local and regional
dimension in the development of this emerging industry;
23.
calls on the European Commission to develop the Ocean Energy Forum
into an industrial platform to drive forward delivery of the key
actions set out in the Ocean Energy Roadmap;
24.
calls for the establishment of EU level targets for Ocean Energy as
a clear statement of intent in order
to provide investors with certainty for long term
commitments;
25.
stresses the need for a coherent approach to all activities related
to seas and oceans; argues that development of the Ocean Energy
sector could provide the stimulus to the development of a Maritime
Industrial Policy for the EU;
26.
welcomes the development by Ireland and Portugal of national
strategies for marine and ocean energy; welcomes the inclusion of
ocean energy by eight Member States in their National Renewable
Energy Action Plans: UK, Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain, Finland,
Italy and the Netherlands; and initiatives in other Member States
such as Denmark and Sweden;
27.
calls for Member States to give strategic and political leadership
in developing this industry through stronger support to research
and demonstration projects on their territory;
28.
reiterates its call for the creation of a specific Knowledge and
Innovation Community for the Blue Economy,
since the development of skills and the transfer of ideas from
marine research to the private sector have a crucial role in the
development of ocean energy;
29.
stresses the need to capitalise on existing successful initiatives
and partnerships,
to make full use of the knowledge developed in the framework of the
Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan and its research pillar, the
European Energy Research Alliance; i.e. include SET Plan, Smart
Cities and Horizon 2020 actors in the development of local and
regional energy strategy;
30.
points out the need to develop professional training for skills
needed for the installation and maintenance of ocean energy plants
which at the moment rest with oil and gas companies and encourage
the sectors to share knowledge and learn from each other.
State Aids
31.
welcomes the State Aid approval given in April 2015 to a Portuguese
scheme to support demonstration projects (50MW installed capacity)
producing renewable energy from the ocean (wave energy, tidal
energy) and innovative offshore wind technologies;
32.
notes many stakeholders describe the 2014 Guidelines on State aid
for environmental protection and energy as being flexible to
support demonstration projects in this area;
33.
calls for further technical analysis to be undertaken by State Aid
experts, working with the Ocean Energy Forum to ensure the State
Aid regime is sensitive to the particular challenges facing this
sector, and will enable major public investments for example in
grid infrastructure and large-scale pre-commercial pilot phase
projects.
Atlantic Area
Macro Region
34.
calls for future EU funding programmes supporting Territorial
Cooperation including the Atlantic Area Transnational Programme, to
be refocused around supporting the development of Ocean
Energy;
35.
recommends that strong consideration be given to developing an
Atlantic Macro Region focused on developing Ocean Energy; such an
approach would provide a clear focus for the five Member States and
nations/regions in this area to cooperate, and could potentially
lead to a coherent Maritime Industrial Strategy for the Atlantic
Macro Region, centred around renewable energy and
connectivity;
36.
recommends that appropriate and tailored strategies/technologies be
developed for all the different sea-basins, harnessing existing
experiences/development of advanced technologies for regions with
less/different marine energy potential.
Addressing
financial challenges
37.
argues that significant public support, including through
innovative private public partnerships, is essential for the to the
development of Ocean Energy;
38.
recognises the essential role of the EIB's existing support
mechanisms;
however, emphasises the need for new and innovative instruments at
EU level that create a more favourable environment for supporting
investments in "riskier" innovative energy technologies, especially
those in ocean energy technology deployment;
39.
stresses the importance of investing in interconnections,
especially between Member States and their regions, upgrading the
transmission infrastructure to increase their capacity to absorb
renewable electricity generation, investing in distribution grids,
extending grids to remote areas as well as developing and
implementing smart grid solutions;
40.
calls on the EIB and European Commission to prioritise use of the
new European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) to support
investments in the Ocean Energy sector, including looking at how
this fund can be used to support grid development and
connectivity;
41.
welcomes the increasing focus on marine renewable energy in a
number of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3); welcomes the launch
of the European Smart Specialisation Platform on Energy, and
underlines the importance of ensuring this complements the Ocean
Energy Forum's work;
42.
welcomes the inclusion in a Regional Operational Programmes of
priority to investments in marine energy;
43.
stresses the importance of strengthening the link between the EU's
energy policy and cohesion policy and calls on the European
Commission to provide details of the priority given to Ocean Energy
in the regional Operational Programmes for the ESIFs for 2014-2020
and to provide analysis of which regions are prioritising Ocean
Energy in their S3s;
44.
welcomes the decision of the October 2014 European Council to renew
the NER300 programme, and notes that from now on small-scale
projects will also be eligible;
45.
calls for a stable higher price for CO2 emissions and
higher financing appropriations for (innovative) renewable energy
projects under the new scheme;
46.
welcomes projects like Ocean Energy ERA-NET which aims to
co-ordinate activities between Member States and regions agencies
to support research and innovation in the sector, and looks forward
to seeing a plethora of Ocean Energy projects supported under
Horizon 2020 and other programmes like Erasmus+;
47.
reiterates its call for stronger political priority to be given to
creating synergies between EU, Member State and sub-state (local
and regional authority) budgets
to support investments of key European importance, such as Ocean
Energy;
Environmental
and consenting issues
48.
asserts that Ocean Energy can be developed in a way that enhances
the natural environment;
49.
underlines the importance of ensuring engagement of regional
authorities, environmental organisations and other NGOs in the
Ocean Energy Forum and other strategic initiatives at EU level, and
urges Member States, LRAs and industry, to work fully with such
bodies, to ensure that this new industry is developed in a
sustainable way, minimising impact on the environment;
50.
underlines the critically important role of Maritime Spatial
Planning (MSP) in supporting the development of the Ocean (and
marine) Energy industry, as this provides a mechanism bringing
together the different users of the sea/ocean (energy sector,
marine transport, aquaculture, fishing, recreation and nature
conservation) to engage in a dialogue, to exchange information and
take coordinated decisions regarding the use of marine spaces,
helping to avoid conflicts between sectors, to develop synergies
and to reduce negative impacts on ecosystems; urges Member States
and LRAs involved in the preparation of MSPs to plan Ocean Energy
development into this process;
51.
stresses the importance of simplifying administrative procedures
for planning and consenting at LRA and national level, and
highlights the recognised good practice in Scotland in this, where
they have introduced sectorial marine planning, environmental research and
strategic monitoring programmes, a one-stop-shop consenting
body and consenting
guidance;
52.
highlights the importance of access to data and information
sharing, to avoid duplication, to reduce the costs of starting
operations, and as part of the wider public interest in
understanding the marine environment and potential impact of
developments on the marine eco-system;
53.
underlines the importance of understanding, monitoring and
researching the marine environment and ecology, in order to build a
more comprehensive data set than currently exists, including
carrying out extensive environmental impact studies, using an
ecosystem-based approach to consider biodiversity hosted in these
regions, and quantify the potential effects of devices on the
marine environment.
Awareness and
communication
54.
believes that communicating the benefits and potential of Ocean
Energy, should be a key priority in winning over the "hearts and
minds" of EU citizens;
55.
underlines the importance of dialogue and communication with all
interested stakeholders, including fishermen, the aquaculture
sector, and other marine/maritime users;
56.
underlines the role that the European Commission and the Committee
of the Regions can play in raising awareness of Ocean Energy, for
example through Sustainable Energy Week, Open Days Week of Cities
and Regions, Covenant of the Mayors, and potentially through
establishing new schemes.
Brussels,
*
*
*
N.B.:
Explanatory statement overleaf.
Explanatory
Statement on the main ocean energy technologies and on the main
ocean energy projects
1. More details
on the main Ocean Energy Technologies
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Tidal Range: energy created by the difference in sea level
(or head) between high and low tides, using the same principles and
similar technology to conventional hydropower. Tidal range power
generation is not new, with several tidal barrage schemes in
existence worldwide, the first at La Rance in Brittany, which
opened in 1966, is still operational (EDF) with installed capacity
of 240MW. More recent proposed projects have centred on tidal
lagoons, which utilise the same turbine technology but do not span
an entire estuary, which can be located entirely offshore, and with
considerably less environmental impact than tidal barrages.
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Tidal stream: generated by gravitational forces of the sun
and moon, which in combination with the rotation of the earth on
its axis, cause movements of the oceans and seas. Tidal energy
converters extract kinetic energy from tidal flow, and through
mechanical motion (rotor or a foil) produce electrical energy.
There have been a number of small-scale wave energy demonstration
projects but to date no commercial scale arrays have been
established and as there is as yet no consensus on preferred
technology devices.
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Wave Energy: this forms as kinetic energy from the wind is
transmitted to the upper surface of the ocean. The height and
period of resulting waves varies depending on the energy flux
between the wind and the ocean surface. Wave energy converters
extract the energy and can be designed for operation in different
water depths. Device design is dependent on the location of the
device and the intended resource characteristics. As with tidal
energy there has been much research, trying many different devices,
and in small-scale pilots and demonstrations, and similarly no
consensus on preferred technology.
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Salinity Gradient Energy: energy available from the
difference in salt concentration between freshwater with saltwater.
Estimated energy value of 2 000 TWh per annum available,
giving this form of energy a huge potential if it can be captured
effectively. The potential cost of energy from this source is
higher than most traditional hydropower, but is comparable to other
forms of renewable energy that are already produced in full-scale
plants. In Europe the research is concentrated in Norway and the
Netherlands, in both places small pilots are tested. As with wave
and tidal this is still unproven technology, and requires further
research development activity.
-
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC): exploit the
temperature difference between deep cold ocean water and warm
tropical surface waters to generate energy. Variety of different
methods to achieve this. OTEC is naturally dedicated to tropical
and equatorial seas and oceans. More than 100 countries and
territories worldwide are potentially able to implement OTEC
in their energy mix; including several European overseas
territories. Estimates of potential: weighted installed base of
150GW, with a priority market of 60GW, emerge first with islands
and isolated areas for 9GW total; by 2030, 1.5GW of OTEC should be
installed.
Drawn from
information available on the Ocean Energy Europe web-site:
http://www.oceanenergy-europe.eu/index.php/policies/technologies
2. Some examples
of Ocean Energy projects
These are
included for illustrative purposes:
§ UK (Wales):
planned development of six Tidal Lagoons, four of which will be in
Wales, the most advanced of which is Swansea Tidal Lagoon (320MW).
Estimated energy production: 30TWh per annum and £2.65bn
economic benefit;
§ UK (Scotland):
MeyGen Tidal Energy Project in the Inner Sound of the Pentland
Firth – phase 1a 6MW; first community-owned
tidal power turbine grid in Shetland;
§ France
(Brittany): La Rance Barrage, world's first tidal power station
240MW and annual output of 600GWh; Brittany is home to 50% of
French maritime sectors R&D skills including France Energies
Marine (research institute) in Brest, and a commitment to establish
two demonstrators, four pilot farms, two generation sites, using
five Ocean Energy (and offshore wind) technologies off the coast of
Brittany;
§ France (Brittany):– "Pôle Mer
Bretagne Atlantique";
§ France
(Réunion Island): number of marine energy projects including
OTEC land-based prototype;
§ Spain: Biscay
Marine Energy Platform (bimep), Lemoiz. Capacity: 20 MW;
§ Portugal:
WindFloat, Aguçadoura. Capacity: 2.0MW
§ Italy: small
scale projects include number of projects sponsored by ENEL Green
Power e.g. 40 South Energy, Elba island, 0.1MW, wave; Pisa,
0.1MW, wave; Wave4energy Island of Pantelleria, – 0.1MW,
wave;
§ Ireland: Wave
Energy Test Site, Galway Bay. Capacity: 5MW;
§ Denmark:
Moorings for large wave energy converters (2014-2017); Wavestar
Hanstholm, – 0.25MW, wave;
§ Netherlands:
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion project in Curacao in the Dutch
Caribbean; Bluewater Energy Texel, – 0.2MW, tidal stream;
§ Belgium:
Mermaid concession zone for offshore, wave and tidal energy, aims
to install 20MW wave energy (currently has a permit to 5MW);
national sea test facility at Ostend;
§ Sweden:
Sotenas, 1 MW, wave; Ada, 0.4MW, wave.
See also http://www.ocean-energy-systems.org/ocean-energy-in-the-world/
II.
PROCEDURE
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Title
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Developing the potential of Ocean Energy
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Reference(s)
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Own-initiative opinion
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Legal basis
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Article 307(4)
TFEU
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Procedural basis
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Rule 41(b)(ii) of the Rules of Procedure
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Date of Council/EP
referral/Date of Commission letter
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Date of
Bureau/President's decision
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18 March 2015
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Commission
responsible
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Commission for the Environment, Climate Change
and Energy (ENVE)
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Rapporteur
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Rhodri Glyn Thomas (UK/EA)
Assembly Member for Carmarthen East and
Dinefwr
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Analysis
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17 April 2015
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Discussed in
commission
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30 June 2015
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Date adopted by
commission
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30 June 2015
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Result of the vote
in commission
(majority,
unanimity)
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Majority
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Date adopted in
plenary
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Scheduled for 13/14 October 2015
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Previous Committee
opinions
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Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on
Renewable energy: a major player in the European energy
market
Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on
Blue Growth: opportunities for marine and maritime sustainable
growth
Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on
Blue Economy: realising the potential of our seas and oceans for
jobs and growth
|
|
Date of subsidiarity monitoring consultation
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n/a
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