Ocean Energy Europe is a European association of major industries in the field of marine renewable energy which brings together for two days every year key industrial actors and ministers to address development issues in Europe.
Scotland and West Normandy are the only two European regions on the board of directors at Ocean Energy Europe, which this year holds is annual conference tomorrow and Wednesday (Oct 20-21) in Dublin.
Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing is attending on behalf of the Scot-Government and is expected to make a major announcement.
This year’ conference is doubly important for Normandy this year. Firstly, major industry issues will be addressed, such as the cost reduction that shapes the future of the renewable marine energy sector and therefore the Normandy territory, which focuses heavily on their development (Normandy features 3 wind farms of 500MW each and 5GW tidal in the Raz Blanchard).
Normandy benefits from numerous advantages for the development of offshore wind and tidal, with: three offshore wind turbine fields in Courseulles-sur-Mer (450MW), in Fécamp (498 MW) and in Le Tréport (496 MW); the world’s first commercially exploitable potential tidal site located at Raz Blanchard (5GW), as well as five large ports at Cherbourg, Le Havre, Caen-Ouistreham, Dieppe and Fécamp.
The Normandy Port Authority has invested some £85 million in extending these harbour facilities, including a 100ha enlargement at Cherbourg, which is due to complete in Spring 2016.
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