THE TIME TO INVEST IN OCEAN ENERGY IS NOW

(Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)

" It has become clear over the past years that our seas and oceans can generate huge economic growth and create jobs, much needed in these times. That is why we have been working for the past five years on our Blue Growth strategy to foster sustainable blue economy. Ocean energy is part of this strategy. It is a very promising sector, capable to exploit an indigenous, predictable, safe source of clean energy.

Maritime surveillance: Joining forces with Member States for safer seas and oceans

European Commission, Press release, Brussels, 8 July 2014:

The European Commission today took a further step towards more effective and cost-efficient surveillance of European Seas. By bringing together surveillance data from civil and military authorities like coast guards, navies, traffic monitoring, environmental and pollution monitoring, fisheries and border control, duplication of work can be avoided and savings of up to €400 million per year can be made.

BLUE ENERGY: THE TIDE IS TURNING

The power of waves

Until today, despite the considerable investment, very little electricity has been generated using ocean power anywhere in the world. But the several hundreds international experts and world-leading companies in ocean energy that gathered in Dublin last week, at the 4th International Conference on Ocean Energy  confirm that the tide is turning.
And right so: waves, tides and currents can provide a dependable supply of clean energy, which could greatly help to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and European greenhouse gas emissions by about 65 Mt CO2 in 2020.