EU to launch €8M call for improving ocean energy devices

The EU’s flagship Horizon Europe program is to issue a multi-million funding call this September, focused on advancing the sustainability, reliability, and cost-efficiency of ocean energy devices.

With a budget of €8 million, this call for the “Critical Technologies for Future Ocean Energy Farms” program will support two projects aimed at improving the performance of and knowledge of ocean energy devices. 

Projects can focus on developing sustainable materials with improved properties such as fatigue and corrosion resistance, damping, stiffness, and bio-fouling management. They can evaluate materials like reinforced concrete, polymers, composites, and hybrid systems for their cost-reduction potential and ensure structural integrity and durability in ocean energy systems.

Another focus of the projects can be mooring and power transmission, in order to advance the design of tailored mooring systems and power transmission connections for wave and tidal devices. 

Applying recent advances in condition and structural health monitoring from sectors such as offshore wind to ocean energy devices is another possible focus of the projects. This involves integrating new sensor technology into existing ocean energy systems, documenting sensor performance and reliability, adapting these technologies for use in harsh ocean environments, and improving the transmission and storage of data collected from sensors.

The projects can also focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and big data methods, including machine learning and digital twin models, into ocean energy technology development. These technologies would be used to enhance the simulation, design, installation, operation, and decommissioning processes of ocean energy systems.

Projects should demonstrate the applicability of technological improvements across various ocean energy devices, such as a wide range of floating or subsea devices, said the European Commission.

The project results are anticipated to achieve several outcomes, including increased performance of ocean energy technologies with a focus on sustainability, operation, and maintenance of these devices.

Additionally, the objective is to advance understanding of the operation, availability, maintainability, reliability, survivability, and sustainability of ocean energy devices, ultimately contributing to the reduction of the levelized cost of energy (LCOE).

The call follows a single-stage process, with a planned opening date of September 17, 2024, and a deadline date of February 4, 2025.

In July, Horizon Europe provided funding for the Modular Electrical Generator PTO system for the wave (MEGA WAVE PTO) project, with CETO Wave Energy Ireland (CWEI), a subsidiary of Carnegie Clean Energy, participating as an industry partner and wave energy technology representative.