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Ocean Energy Europe

OEE

Ocean Energy Europe represents the ocean energy sector to EU institutions, promoting tidal and wave energy development.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Martin Engell-Rossen (Cabinet of Commissioner Dan Jørgensen)

18 Nov 2025 · Information about Ocean Energy Europe & Wavepiston

Meeting with Costas Kadis (Commissioner) and

4 Nov 2025 · Ocean Energy

Meeting with Michael Bloss (Member of the European Parliament) and E-MOBILITY EUROPE and

14 Oct 2025 · Clean Industrial Deal Implementation

Meeting with Sara Matthieu (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Oct 2025 · Cleantech Action

Meeting with Alexandre Paquot (Director Climate Action)

1 Oct 2025 · Presentation of the sector

Meeting with Anne-Maud Orlinski (Cabinet of Commissioner Dan Jørgensen)

10 Sept 2025 · Potential of Ocean Energy in Europe and EU Renewable Eenrgy Policies

Ocean Energy Europe Demands Priority Grid Connection for Innovation

24 Jul 2025
Topic — This consultation seeks measures to modernize and expand European electricity and hydrogen infrastructure.
Message — The group calls for reforming connection rules to prioritize innovative renewables over traditional projects. They also want ocean energy included in long-term network plans to match official deployment targets.12
Why — Priority access would accelerate project commercialization and provide greater financial security for investors.3
Impact — Conventional energy projects face longer delays if the existing first-come-first-served queueing system is abandoned.45
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Ocean Energy Europe urges continuation of Pilot Project funding

8 Jul 2025
Topic — A review of the EU Innovation Fund to evaluate its climate action performance.
Message — The organization urges the preservation of the Pilot Project call to bridge the ocean energy funding gap. They argue it ensures continuity between research grants and large-scale commercial deployment.12
Why — Maintaining this funding stream secures the capital needed to industrialize European ocean energy projects.3
Impact — Energy-intensive industries could see their dominant share of innovation funding reduced in favor of renewables.4
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Meeting with Ana Vasconcelos (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Jun 2025 · European Ocean Pact

Meeting with Ana Vasconcelos (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Jun 2025 · Ocean Energy

Meeting with Kurt Vandenberghe (Director-General Climate Action) and Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) and

13 May 2025 · Clean Industrial Deal to deliver a Joint Decarbonisation and Competitiveness Roadmap

Meeting with Jörgen Warborn (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Feb 2025 · Ocean Energy

Ocean Energy Europe Urges Task Force To Secure Industrial Leadership

17 Feb 2025
Topic — The European Oceans Pact aims to create a holistic vision for EU ocean-related policies.
Message — OEE proposes a high-level Task Force to fix regulatory bottlenecks. They also request EIB loan guarantees to de-risk pre-commercial farms.12
Why — These actions would bridge the investment gap and secure Europe’s global leadership in energy.34
Impact — International competitors like China and the US would lose their momentum in overtaking Europe's lead.56
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Meeting with Felix Leinemann (Head of Unit Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)

12 Feb 2025 · Ocean Energy in the Ocean Pact: OEE’s proposal for the creation of a HL Task Force

Meeting with Asger Christensen (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Feb 2025 · Energy

Meeting with Thomas Pellerin-Carlin (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Feb 2025 · The development of tidal and wave energy

Meeting with Idoia Mendia (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Feb 2025 · Meeting with Ocean Energy Europe

Meeting with Rasmus Nordqvist (Member of the European Parliament)

15 Jan 2025 · EU Oceans Pact

Meeting with Christophe Clergeau (Member of the European Parliament) and WindEurope and

14 Jan 2025 · SEARICA

Meeting with Thomas Bajada (Member of the European Parliament)

9 Jan 2025 · Meeting on Ocean Energy

Meeting with Jutta Paulus (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Dec 2024 · Ocean Energy Potential

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament) and Agora Think Tanks gGmbH

14 Nov 2024 · Clean Industrial Deal

Meeting with Michael Mcnamara (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Nov 2024 · Energy Potential Ireland and the EU

Meeting with Barry Andrews (Member of the European Parliament)

1 Oct 2024 · Ocean Energy

Meeting with Christophe Clergeau (Member of the European Parliament)

1 Oct 2024 · Energie marine

Meeting with Arunas Ribokas (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

13 Sept 2023 · Short meeting to discuss the Commissioner’s attendance of OEE’s annual conference on 25 October in The Hague

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

20 Jun 2023 · Presentation of new report on smart electrification.

Meeting with Christophe Clergeau (Member of the European Parliament)

7 Jun 2023 · Filière éolienne marine en Europe

Meeting with Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

21 Oct 2022 · Innovation fund, role of Ocean Energy in REPower EU and current context

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

20 Sept 2022 · To discuss the implementation of the EU offshore energy strategy objectives

Meeting with Barbara Glowacka (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

14 Sept 2022 · Cssr Simson's visit to tidal site - Follow up meeting. Purpose of the meeting: • Sector presentation • How ocean energy can contribute to the EC’s priorities. • Present some low-cost high-impact steps which can accelerate ocean energy’s roll-out.

Meeting with Arunas Ribokas (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

18 Aug 2022 · To prepare Commissioner’s meeting with CEOs of Ocean Energy Europe on 20 September.

Response to Guidance on accelerating permitting processes for renewable energy projects and facilitating Power Purchase Agreements

22 Feb 2022

This feedback concerns permitting of wave and tidal energy projects, but can be applied to other renewable energy technologies as well. Permitting processes should be tailor-made for each renewable energy technology. This would help regulators and developers to follow a clear procedure, which reduces bureaucracy and costs. The requirements should also be proportionate to the real expected environmental impacts posed by a specific development. Notably, the EIA and environmental monitoring should be less burdensome for single devices and small arrays, where scientific evidence shows little to no impact on the environment. The responsibility for performing them should be shared between the developer and the environmental authority, as these demonstration projects are not yet commercial and are a financial burden for SMEs. The consenting processes should also be limited in time, because developers rarely have the resources to wait for a consent for years. Staff, as well as investors’ interests must be maintained during the entire project cycle, the longer the permitting and consenting process is, the higher the financial burden and risk. Consenting lead times for ocean energy projects vary between 2 to 5 years or even longer. Shortening the process can be done by simplifying and reducing the number of required applications and licenses, and by introducing a time limit for the overall process. For example, Marine Scotland – the one-stop-shop of the Scottish consenting process – aims at completing the process in nine months. This shows that shorter consenting times are not only possible but also realistic. Marine Scotland offers guidance and checklists for developers throughout the process. Despite this, the process in Scotland usually takes 1-2 years in practice, because often more environmental information is required. This confirms that fit-for-purpose EIAs for new innovative technologies such as ocean energy are needed. Time limits for every consenting decision from the date of submission would also reduce the overall consenting time. Currently, decision lead times vary between 4-8 months. In some countries, there is no time limit, and the decisions can take up to a year. To accelerate the development of ocean energy projects, there should be a time limit of 3 months from submitting the required documents for each consent or license. This would help shorten the whole process to one year. To facilitate the consenting process for the developers, a “one-stop-shop” approach should be adopted. Having a single point of contact representing the various public authorities would make it easier for developers to obtain advice throughout the consenting process. This authority would also streamline the functioning of the consenting process and coordinate the actions of other agencies involved, and would be an expert in the specific technology. To overcome the risk uncertainty, an Adaptive Management approach should be adopted. Adaptive Management is a decision-making process that reduces uncertainty over time via monitoring. It allows the developers to start building their project, while authorities monitor the progress to gather more information on a potential risk. This will progressively reduce the uncertainty of the potential environmental impacts of ocean energy, without delaying the projects. An excellent example of Adaptive Management is the “permis enveloppe” in France. Pre-allocation of zones in Marine Spatial Planning could potentially result in higher levels of deployment if it successfully shortens the consenting process and reduces risks for developers. This should, nevertheless, not result in banning ocean energy deployment from other non-allocated zones. This information is derived from the attached ETIP Ocean report.
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Meeting with Laure Chapuis (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson), Tatiana Marquez Uriarte (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson) and

22 Sept 2021 · Draft Climate, Energy and Environmental State aid Guidelines.

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

11 May 2021 · Pact for Skills roundtable with the renewable energies ecosystem sector.

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and Eurelectric aisbl and

11 May 2021 · Pact for Skills roundtable with the renewable energies ecosystem sector

Response to Protecting the environment in the EU’s seas and oceans

4 May 2021

In order to ensure the best possible practices and to minimise potential environmental impacts, it is crucial to consider different energy sectors separately. The MSFD takes into account offshore renewable energy, but does not distinguish the different technologies covered by that term: offshore wind, wave, tidal stream etc. For example, tidal stream and wave energy technologies have a very low visual impact, as they are installed either below the water surface or floating flat on top of it. The noise pollution is orders of magnitude lower than other sea uses such as shipping or oil & gas, and they do not use pile driving in installation. Collisions with marine wildlife have never been detected despite continuous monitoring. The MSFD should consider the different characteristics of all offshore renewable energy technologies in order to support decisions in protected area and site allocations. The MSFD should also support the monitoring of potential impacts of offshore renewable technologies, to gain more information as these sectors progress. These actions will support offshore renewable energy installations in accordance with the EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy, while protecting the marine environment. Attached a report from ETIP Ocean on the latest research on environmental impact of ocean energy (wave & tidal), for your information.
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Meeting with Wioletta Dunin-Majewska (Cabinet of Commissioner Elisa Ferreira)

4 Nov 2020 · Potential of ocean energy for decarbonisation and economic recovery in regions.

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

20 Oct 2020 · Discussion on the future Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy Presentation of the sector of Ocean Energy coordinated by Ocean Energy Europe.

Meeting with Ruben Alexander Schuster (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

14 Sept 2020 · Offshore Renewable Strategy

Meeting with Charlina Vitcheva (Director-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)

3 Sept 2020 · Meeting on Ocean Energy and the upcoming EC "Offshore Renewables Strategy"

Meeting with Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

26 Aug 2020 · Offshore energy

Response to Offshore renewable energy strategy

13 Aug 2020

Ocean Energy Europe warmly welcomes this initiative. Offshore renewables such as wave, tidal and other ocean energy sources offer a unique opportunity for Europe. Europe is already the global leader in these technologies. A European Strategy which priorities the deployment of ocean energy will drive major cost reductions and the establishment of a new renewable industry by the end of the von der Leyen Commission. This will generate prosperity for European citizens and make an important contribution towards the decarbonisation of Europe's economy. The promotion of wave and tidal deployments is therefore a very concrete example of how the European Commission can turn the Green Deal into a tangible reality for EU citizens. Ocean Energy Europe has made a more detailed response to the consultation on the Offshore Strategy. Attached is the industry position paper, with details on how to achieve an interim target of 100MW of ocean energy by 2030. This is a necessary first step to reach 3GW of deployment by 2030 and 100GW by 2050.
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Response to Evaluation of ocean energy development and support policies

17 Jun 2020

Ocean Energy Europe answer to the consultation on ocean energy policy Key points - The Commission’s ocean energy policy has had a positive impact on the industry. It helped the technology progress and provided visibility to the sector. - Ocean Energy is now closer to industrial roll-out and action is needed in new policy areas: Pilot farms funding, MSP, State Aid, exports, consenting and licensing… Current ocean energy policy enabled the sector to progress and gain visibility The Blue Energy Communication and the Ocean Energy Roadmap were useful and successful initiatives. The ocean energy sector has visibly progressed towards industrial roll-out since European policies for the sector were put in place. Electricity fed to the grid by tidal stream in Europe has doubled since the Strategic Roadmap was published. The cost of tidal energy has reduced by 40% since the finalisation of the Communication on Blue Energy. There are now several promising wave devices at a prototype stage, and wave technology is being delivered in a more structured and sustainable manner. More environmental monitoring actions have strengthened the evidence base. The IEA-OES concludes in its latest Environment Report there is no evidence that ocean energy has anything more than a negligible impact on a range of different environmental concerns. The early involvement of the industry in the policy making process, the cooperation with other DGs such as DG RTD and the political support from Commissioner Karmenu Vella were instrumental to the effectiveness of this policy. 3 key recommendations of the Roadmap have/are been enacted so far: - A phase gate funding program for wave energy - An investment platform (shared with other Blue Economy sectors and called blueInvest) - Regular calls on environmental monitoring Strengthening ocean energy policy making to deliver a new industry The Roadmap reflected the stage of development of ocean energy in 2016. The sector has made significant progresses since then, and an updated European policy is needed to reflect this progress. There are 2 key components to this: • A broader coalition of policy-makers is now needed. The success of the Commission’s policies mean that more involvement is needed at a national level. National governments and the Commission can work together effectively to further develop the sector. Some essential policy levers – such as revenue support – are primarily the preserve of national governments. • Action is now needed in new policy areas to enable progress towards the commercial stage: Pilot farms funding, Marine Spatial Planning, State Aid, exports, consenting and licensing… A new framework to develop ocean energy The Commission’s forthcoming Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy is a crucial opportunity to deliver on wave and tidal energy’s potential. A target of 100,000 European homes powered by ocean energy by 2025 will establish a brand-new European sector by the end of the von der Leyen Commission. This will allow millions of households to be ocean-powered in the 2030s and help balance a 100% renewable electricity system by 2050. The attached policy vision proposes concrete objectives and actions to realize this vision and make this upcoming strategy a success.
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Response to Union renewable Financing mechanism

2 Jun 2020

Ocean Energy Europe answer to the consultation on the Union Renewable energy financing mechanism Ocean Energy Europe welcomes the Commission implementing regulation on the Union renewable energy financing mechanism. This mechanism can enable innovative renewables such as ocean energy to reach the commercial stage. Investment decisions must be in line with the Commissions strategies Revenue support is often the missing piece to finance innovative ocean energy projects. This mechanism can contribute to fill this gap. To successfully do so, investment decisions should be coherent with current Commission objectives and strategies such as the upcoming EU Strategy on Offshore Renewable Energy. 10% of contributions should be directed towards innovative renewables This mechanism is the perfect tool to mutualise the cost of developing new technologies. Dedicating only 10% of contributions to calls for demonstration projects would allow new European renewable technologies to cross the valley of death and reach the commercial stage. This will allow the Union renewable energy financing mechanism to support technologies that will be needed after 2030, when significantly higher penetration levels will be required. This draft contains useful dispositions that should be maintained and clarified: - Allowing technology-specific tenders is key to help innovative techs reach the market --> Technology specific tenders are the only way to bring innovative new technologies down the cost curve, where they can compete with already-established technologies, without intervention. They help promising industries achieve savings through scale and technology learnings, and deliver affordable, decarbonised and predictable energy for EU citizen in the medium term. - Offering the possibility to get blended financial instruments increases the chances of seeing innovative projects reaching financial close --> Ocean energy project developers usually need more than one type of funding instruments for their demonstration projects. The later often combine grant funding with public loans. This process is long, complex and often uncertain due to the different timelines for answers and project start. --> Such calls would greatly reduce the administrative burden on businesses while increase the likeliness to see projects reach financial close. - Dedicated selection criteria for demonstration projects are needed to foster innovation --> Selecting innovation projects on cost can be counterproductive. Innovation is costly and such a selection criterion would deter developers to compete with state-of-the-art technologies. Other criteria should thus be used for demonstration projects. --> The current text remains unclear on what these criteria may be. Ocean Energy Europe suggests focusing on the following  Value for the European energy system  Greenhouse gas emission avoidance  Degree of Innovation  Project maturity  Scalability
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Meeting with Laure Chapuis (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

19 May 2020 · Preparation strategy offshore renewables – Role of ocean energy (tidal and waves) Innovation

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner) and

10 Apr 2019 · Ocean Energy

Response to Commission Delegated Regulation establishing the Innovation Fund

21 Jul 2017

Ocean energy Europe believes this inception paper is in line with what needs to be assessed as part of an Impact Assessment on the future Innovation Fund. With regards to the policy options considered, attached is a Non-paper by Renewable Energy Associations from May 2016 presenting some considerations. While some of these have evolved already, most outline generic facts linked to the successful development of demonstration projects and the resulting required design elements for a Fund. OEE also remains mostly in line with the main recommendations from the Stakeholder’s report following the 6 workshop from the first half of 2017. We would like to restate one key element valid across technologies and countries: essentially, innovative projects find themselves in two financial situations: 1. Some have a guaranteed revenue; revenue support or a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) at an acceptable price per MWh produced. 2. Some have no guaranteed revenue or a revenue that is below required levels. Currently, 80% of innovative demonstration projects are believed to be in the second situation . While financial instruments can help invest in the first situation, revenue support and grants are essential for projects lacking sufficient revenue streams. 1. Projects with guaranteed revenue can benefit from low-rate financial instruments These projects benefit from a suitable market price for their electricity production or have been awarded sufficient revenue support. Nevertheless, due to the uncertainties inherent to innovation, the projects do not have access to sufficient investments to get off the ground. The projects will be able to service debt and equity investments and guarantee sufficient return to financiers. In this situation, a loan facility such as InnovFin EDP or an equity instrument such as the Investment Platforms under EFSI can help reach financial close, provided rates are set at a low enough level. 2. Projects with insufficient guaranteed revenue require grants and revenue support These projects lack sufficient revenue support and/or the market price for electricity is too low. Financial instruments inherently require service repayment in the form of interests, dividends… They are not an option in this situation, as the revenue stream once the project is online will be insufficient to provide satisfactory rates for financiers. In this scenario, upfront grants are required to reduce the private part of the investment (CAPEX), thus lowering the cost of capital and allowing the projects to be viable at a lower electricity sale price. Providing revenue support is also important to enable debt/equity servicing, and to incentivise best possible production. As an example, the French tender system for tidal energy projects recognised the need for revenue and investment aid and offers both: grants – partly repayable – as upfront investment support, and a guaranteed tariff as production incentive. The impact of a cost of capital can amount to over 100% of capital (CAPEX) and operational (OPEX) expenditure: Any financial instrument setup under the future Innovation Fund should aim at keeping projects Internal Rate of Return (IRR) as low as possible to avoid burdening projects with costs that have nothing to do with the cost of the technology. A zero-rate would be best to support to new technologies. For innovative technologies, such as tidal energy, the IRR required by financiers can be in the range of 10% to 12%, compared to figures as low as 2% to 3% for commercial large hydroelectric projects, 5% to 6% for onshore wind. A 10% to 12% project IRR implies a total cost of capital over the lifetime of the project of 100% to 130% of capital expenditure and operational expenditure (CAPEX & OPEX) . Several countries practice 0% rates for financial support to innovative projects. China for example financed much of its new onshore wind via zero-rate loans from its banking institutions.
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Meeting with Robert Schröder (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

7 Jun 2017 · tidal energy development

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner)

8 Nov 2016 · Ocean Energy

Meeting with Robert Schröder (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

19 Oct 2016 · new R&I strategy (EURICS) and future Horizon2020 programmes linked to Ocean Energy

Meeting with Yvon Slingenberg (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

29 Jun 2016 · Renewable energy policy post-2020

Meeting with Dominique Ristori (Director-General Energy) and WindEurope and

21 Jun 2016 · European renewables industry

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner)

19 May 2016 · Blue Growth, Wave Energy

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

26 Feb 2016 · Blue Growth

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

26 Feb 2016 · Blue Growth, Ocean Energy

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

6 May 2015 · Ocean Energy, Energy Union

Meeting with Peter Van Kemseke (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

6 May 2015 · Ocean energy

Meeting with Lowri Evans (Director-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)

21 Apr 2015 · Blue Energy

Meeting with Maria Da Graca Carvalho (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

26 Mar 2015 · Meeting with the CEO