The European Thematic Network

The European Thematic Network on Wave Energy has been established to overcome a certain lack of collaboration within the Wave Energy industry. In 1999, the European Commission invited 14 wave energy representatives from various countries to co-operate in such a Network. The Network was launched in 2000 and its work is focused in six main areas

• Co-operation with power industry. To induce a long-term co-operation with the power industry (e.g. electricity utilities, wind power industry) in order to involve the utilities and to learn from the experience of the wind power industry.
• Social, planning and environmental impact. To identify the planning, legal and commercial barriers and the social benefit, energy and environmental impact arising from the expected development of wave energy schemes. To create recommendation for their development.
• Financing & economic issues. To evaluate the financing, economics and monetary issues for developing wave energy schemes.
• R & D on wave energy devices. To identify the current status of wave and tidal energy device development. To determine the technical barriers to the commercial development of these devices at different time scales. To develop a standard for assessment of existing and new devices. To develop a Strategy for Development and an Action Plan.
• Generic technologies. To co-ordinate activities on generic technology issues concerning the utilisation of wave and tidal/current energies, so as to facilitate the exchange of experience and the transfer of knowledge. To promote the knowledge and technology transfer from the offshore industry and coastal engineering. To promote studies on these issues.
• Promotion of wave energy. To promote wave energy as a renewable source of energy, capable of significant contribution to electricity production in Europe in the near future. This promotion will use several media in order to reach different areas of industry and society.

The subtasks in each area are shown in Table I. These address most of the areas which contain aspects of device development that are common to all wave energy devices (e.g. standards for grid connection, plant control, etc.), as well as themes that will be of benefit to wave energy as a whole (e.g. environmental economics, promotion of wave energy). The various participants in the Network and their activities are shown in Table II.

Some activities have already been completed, such as the first promotional publication (Ref. 1). However, most activities are at an early stage and there is ample opportunity for other organisations to contribute. Members will be consulting outside the Network but other organisations are encouraged to contact the relevant members listed in Table II.

______________________________________________________

Ref. 1: T W Thorpe, 'Wave energy for the 21st century - status and prospects", in Renewable Energy World, August 2000

______________________________________________________

Table I Task Areas for the European Thematic Network

Table II Members of European Thematic Network on Wave Energy