FORESEA programme opens first call for support package applications
27 July 2016. The €11m FORESEA programme opened its first call for support package applications today. Successful applicants will receive free access to test ocean energy technologies in real sea conditions at the projects network of open sea test centres. The programme is funded through Interreg NWE, part of the European Regional Development Fund.
The FORESEA project was launched this month to help enterprises test and demonstrate low carbon energy technologies in real sea environments at the following test infrastructures:
- European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) - Orkney Islands, UK
- SEM-REV - Nantes, France
- SmartBay - Galway, Ireland
- Tidal Testing Centre - Den Oever, Netherlands
The call for applications launched today by the consortium is open to parties who wish to deploy their technology for testing before June 2018. Preference will be given to technologies ready for deployment in 2016 and early 2017. The deadline for applications is 18:00 CET, 21 September 2016.
“The test infrastructures on offer through the FORESEA programme are amongst the best in the world and present a great example of European collaboration and cooperation”, said John Breslin, General Manager, SmartBay Ireland, Access Coordinators of the FORESEA programme.
Moreover, FORESEA provides an important test and validation pathway for ocean energy technology developers in their journey towards commercialisation. We look forward to working with developers through the programme to help them get their technologies into the water to contribute to the growth of the ocean renewables sector”.
Further information can be found in the call documents and on the FORESEA website:
Download the 1st FORESEA Access Call Text
Download the FORESEA Access Terms & Conditions
Download the FORESEA Access Application Form
Ends
For further information, contact:
Rob Flynn, Communications Manager, Ocean Energy Europe
Tel: +32 2400 1040
Email: r.flynn@oceanenergyeurope.eu
Editors notes:
About FORESEA
The FORESEA project helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) test ocean energy technology in real sea conditions and prove power can be economically generated from the ocean, by providing free access to North-West Europe’s world-leading network of test centres.
It is funded by the Interreg North West Europe programme, part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
About EMEC (European Marine Energy Centre)
Established in 2003, EMEC is the world’s leading facility for testing wave and tidal energy converters in real sea conditions. The centre offers independent, accredited grid-connected test berths for full-scale prototypes, as well as test sites in less challenging conditions for use by smaller scale technologies, supply chain companies, and equipment manufacturers.
To date, more marine energy converters have been deployed in Orkney, Scotland, than at any other single site in the world: EMEC has hosted 16 wave and tidal energy clients (with 25 marine energy devices) spanning 9 countries.
With over 12 years of unprecedented experience, EMEC also offers performance assessments, Environmental Technology Verification (ETV), a range of research and consultancy services, and has facilitated the development of international standards for marine energy.
SmartBay
SmartBay supports the testing and validation of novel marine and maritime sensors and equipment, and of ocean energy conversion devices, at the ¼ scale Smartbay Test Site in Galway Bay. This site is part of Ireland’s infrastructure to support research and development in the marine renewable energy sector allowing a developer to progress the TRL scale; facilities include a fully licensed ocean test site, featuring surface platforms, wireless communications to shore and a sub-sea cabled observatory and node, along with a set of services available ashore from marine operations support to maritime engineering.
Users can access the site, availing of the facilities and of Smartbay’s cyber environment, to test and validate marine ICT, ocean energy devices and innovative solutions for the marine and related sectors.
SEM-REV
The SEM-REV is a fully consented and grid connected open sea test facility for marine renewable technologies. SEM-REV is part of the experimental facilities of Ecole Centrale Nantes and has been developed, through public financial support, to validate & to optimize both Wave Energy Converters and Floating Wind Turbine in real open sea conditions.
Operations are supervised from the land station in Le Croisic – west coast of France - by a dedicated team with all the required equipment to ensure operability, security and safety of data acquisition, energy converter control and survey.
Environmental monitoring is operational since 2009, the connection HUB was installed in the summer 2015 and thus the site is now 100% operational.
Tidal Testing Centre (TTC)
The Dutch Tidal Testing Centre (TTC) located in the North of Holland at Den Oever provides excellent opportunities for tidal stream testing at intermediate scale. In cooperation with partners the centre offers testing in a two ducted channels, open water tow tests with a barge and at a dedicated offshore floating site. Next year a low head facility comprising three ducted channels of different size will become operational.
Besides these services, TTC is involved in several funded research projects both in national and international consortia.
Ocean Energy Europe
Ocean Energy Europe is the largest network of ocean energy professionals in the world. 108 organisations, including Europe’s leading utilities, industrialists and research institutes, trust Ocean Energy Europe with the promotion of ocean energy; acting as the main link between Europe's ocean energy industry and the EU institutions (European Commission, European Parliament, EIB etc) and EU Member States.
Ocean Energy Europe employs a dedicated team of renewable energy lobby and communications professionals with the skills needed to position ocean energy as a key technology for the EU to meet its strategic objectives and generate funding opportunities for the sector.
http://www.oceanenergy-europe.eu/
Interreg North-West Europe
The Interreg North-West Europe Programme fosters transnational cooperation to make the Northwestern Europe a key economic player and an attractive place to work and live, with high levels of innovation, sustainability and cohesion. Here you can find information about our funding opportunities and the positive change our projects have brought to the territory and its people.