The ETIP Ocean 2 project takes a truly whole-sector approach. A diverse range of stakeholders has been actively engaged throughout. Key actors from industry, research, academia, government and civil society bring their experience and expertise to all stages of the project. ETIP Ocean 2 has expanded the existing ETIP Ocean platform through which stakeholders collaborate and share knowledge. In this way, ETIP Ocean 2 deepens the ETIP Ocean’s model of structured knowledge exchange targeted at accelerating the growth of the ocean energy sector. The ETIP Ocean mailing list has reached nearly 1200 contacts (at the time of writing).
Sharing of knowledge and learnings prevents mistakes being repeated, allows important discoveries to be shared, and allows best use of both public and private resources. By focusing on facilitating collaboration and knowledge-exchange between key stakeholders in the sector, optimal methods of overcoming barriers will be identified, contributing to accelerated sector development and, in turn, allowing the realisation of ocean energy’s potential in terms of economic growth, job creation and emissions reductions.
ETIP Ocean 2 recognises that the future of the ocean energy sector is inherently linked to policy formulation. A number of individual decisions across different policy fields will collectively determine whether the sector reaches commercial roll out or not. These policy fields are diverse, spanning areas such as electricity market design, research and innovation policy, consenting and maritime spatial planning rules, State aid, climate action policies and more. These fields also vary spatially, with different jurisdictions impacting policies at a national, EU and international level.
A coherent and informed sector input to these complex policies is essential. ETIP Ocean 2 identified the policy fields and jurisdictions that are central to the future success of the ocean energy sector. ETIP Ocean 2 then engaged with and informed the processes behind those key policy fields, ensuring they best reflect the requirements of the ocean energy sector.
A competitive advantage of ocean energy will be its negligible social costs upon society – the net impact on society will be overall very positive. In addition to its renewable and non-polluting nature, the profile and location of ocean energy technology will ensure that citizens have limited awareness of its presence during everyday life.
In addition, the scale of the technology will require that a significant degree of manufacturing and assembly takes place close to the resources – i.e. within reach of coastal communities. This will offer employment opportunities that would otherwise not be available locally.
The socioeconomic study explored in more detail exactly how the ocean energy sector and society will interact. This work captured the future direct relationship between society, focusing on regions, and the ocean energy sector.
ETIP Ocean 2 directly supports the realisation of the Implementation Plan via the OceanSET project. The perspectives and information of ocean energy industry players and the research community were distilled and fed into the execution work. ETIP Ocean 2 also ensured that the objectives and activities of the Implementation Plan are transmitted to industry and research communities.
