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The US government’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) announced a $112M funding call for the demonstration of wave energy technologies. The funding is to be spread-out over five years and will offer funding for projects under three topic areas:

1. $16.875 million to wave device development and open water testing for dispersed use and power-at-sea applications
2. $45 million for wave device development supporting coastal community needs (may include power and/or desalination)
3. $50.625 million for wave device development in support of utility power, using offshore, grid connected testing facilities such as PacWave.

Up to 17 projects are set to receive funding, with awards ranging from $2.4 million and $25.3 million. To be considered for full application, first concept submissions must be made by 25 October (17:00 ET).

This substantial investment will allow the US to develop a diversified pipeline of wave energy projects, and quickly accelerate deployments in US waters.

The UK government announced the award of 6 new tidal projects under its Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. The Allocation Round 6 (AR6) is the third consecutive round including a ring-fenced budget for tidal stream energy. This confirms once again the growing momentum for tidal energy in the UK. This additional £15m investment from the government is set to provide much-needed long-term certainty and further boost private investment.

In Scotland, projects led by OEE members SEA Renewables, Nova Innovation, and Magallanes will deliver 18 MW of new capacity. In Wales, HydroWing will bring another 10 MW.

AR6 adds 28 MW of tidal projects on top of the already contracted 93 MW from the previous two rounds, bringing the pipeline of tidal farms to be deployed by 2029 in the UK to 121 MW. This marks a key milestone on the road to industrialisation for the sector. This clearly demonstrates that national revenue support systems are highly efficient in unlocking ocean energy pre-commercial farm scale projects.

Mercator Ocean International and Ocean Energy Europe are excited to announce a joint webinar on leveraging Copernicus Marine Service products for advancing the ocean energy sector. The webinar will take place on the 19^th of June 2024, offering an invaluable opportunity for industry professionals, researchers, and stakeholders to explore how this data can significantly enhance their ocean energy projects and research.

Copernicus Marine Service, part of Europe’s flagship earth observation program, provides essential free data on global and regional ocean and sea conditions. This data is crucial for various stages of ocean energy project development, from environmental impact assessments to site selection and power production forecasts. The service delivers data from satellites, in-situ sensors, and numerical models on variables such as ocean temperature, salinity, currents, and sea levels.

The upcoming webinar, co-organised by Mercator Ocean International and Ocean Energy Europe, aims to showcase the practical applications and benefits of Copernicus Marine Service products in the ocean energy sector.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced commercial tenders for tidal stream as part of the ‘PPE’ — the French energy strategy update — after saying ‘we have to be at the top of our game in tidal stream’.

This follows a recent announcement from the Minister of the Energy Transition of at least €65 million of funding, plus dedicated revenue support, for the pioneering tidal energy pilot farm project FloWatt. Both announcements demonstrate that France is ready to make the most out of the industrial opportunities associated with the commercialisation of the technology and recognises its key role in the energy transition.

Ocean Energy Europe’s CEO, Rémi Gruet, said : ”This is excellent news for tidal stream and for France. It will enable large projects to attract private investments and French technology – among the world’s best – to industrialise. It brings long-awaited market visibility to the sector, and it is a great step toward commercialisation. It also reflects a growing momentum for tidal stream in Europe. After the UK, which has contracted 93 MW of tidal stream capacity via its Contract for Difference scheme, France is the second country to deliver strong support and market visibility to boost tidal development. We look forward to working with/alongside the French Government to make this new sector a reality.”