Press release: FORESEA opens third call for ocean energy technologies
The FORESEA (Funding Ocean Renewable Energy through Strategic European Action) programme opened its third call for support package applications today.
Support packages will help commercialise offshore renewable energy technologies by giving free access to FORESEA’s network of test sites.
The call is open to technologies ready to deploy and complete testing before 2019. The call runs until 29 September 2017.
FORESEA is an €11m project which helps to bring offshore renewable energy technologies to market by offering free access to a world-leading network of test centres. To date, the project has awarded 25 ‘recommendations for support’ to developers through two competitive calls for applications. The final granting of support is made upon signature of contract between the technology developer and the relevant test centre.
FORESEA support is an important piece of the finance package which enables offshore renewable energy developers to test their technologies in real sea conditions.
James Murray, Business Development Manager at Scotrenewables Tidal Power, explains how FORESEA helped their testing programme:
“Scotrenewables greatly appreciates FORESEA support towards demonstrating our low cost floating tidal technology at full scale. Using this support, the SR2000 2MW test programme delivered a new industry record for ‘peak-power’ generation and provided invaluable data to our engineering team towards the delivery of commercial units, through our flagship Horizon2020 FloTEC project.”
The call will be formally launched at the Orkney Ocean Energy Day, which is taking place at the European Marine Energy Centre’s (EMEC) facilities around the Orkney Islands today.
In advance of the event, EMEC Programme Manager, Nicolas Wallet, said:
“Testing ocean energy technologies at sea is challenging: Capital costs are high, and technologies are not yet de-risked enough for private investors to step in. The FORESEA project makes a strong contribution towards overcoming this industry-wide challenge by reducing the up-front cost of testing.
“As well as continuing to support marine energy converter technologies, the 3rd FORESEA call will reach out to developers of products, services and key components that will enable the development of the ocean energy sector. We encourage the value chain to get involved, using their expertise to provide solutions that help de-risk the sector.”
Further information can be found in the call documents and on the FORESEA website:
FORESEA 3rd Call Application Form
FORESEA 3rd Call Text
FORESEA 3rd Call Terms & Conditions
