In the coming years, renewable energy at sea will receive a significant boost. Fifteen partners from Flanders and the Netherlands, amongst them Water2Energy Projects BV, are pooling their expertise in the Offshore For Sure project to test five promising energy solutions and enhance their applicability in the energy system. The project’s objective is to accelerate the energy transition at sea and drive the sustainable blue economy in collaboration with knowledge institutions, regional, and societal organizations. The Interreg Flanders-Netherlands program for 2021-2027 supports this collaboration.
During the three-year duration of the project, the project partners will invest more than 10 million euros in the Flemish-Dutch border region. This investment is made possible in part by the European Interreg Flanders-Netherlands program and co-financiers. The consortium believes that these offshore energy solutions will contribute to a smarter, greener, and more co-operative Europe. BLUESPRING is the initiator behind the Offshore For Sure project idea and acts as the project coordinator.
Role of Water2Energy Projects in Offshore For Sure
Water2Energy Projects will develop and test an upgraded prototype tidal energy water turbine with an improved pitch control of the vertical blades.
We aim to validate and improve the technology on performance, robustness and ecological impact. Tidal energy can provide renewable energy to coastal areas and can also be integrated in civil structures along the coasts and in rivers as well as in floating systems.
Together with IMDC the ecological impact will be assessed, testing plan developed and permitting processes undertaken. With World Class Maintenance the technology will be assessed for smart maintenance too.
Five Innovations and Supporting Partners
The five demonstration projects represent innovative solutions from technology developers with a proven track record and a clear plan for deployment in the fields of tidal energy, wave energy, offshore floating solar energy, and energy storage:
1. Wave energy from Dutch Wave Power
2. Tidal energy from Water2Energy Projects
3. Offshore solar from Oceans of Energy
4. Energy storage simulation from FLASC
5. Smart asset management and predictive maintenance of tidal turbines from Tocardo
For their developments, the technology developers can rely on the knowledge and expertise of partners Bluespring, World Class Maintenance, International Marine; Dredging Consultants, Ecopower, Rijkswaterstaat, Parkwind, Ghent University, HOWEST,
Deftiq, and the Zeeland Environmental Federation.
Collaboration Focused on Three Domains
Activities in the project have strong ties to the regions where they are conducted and have both local and international impact. Therefore, we are developing various services to maximize the gained experience and apply it internationally.
Policy & Public Engagement
As a significant portion of the developments take place at sea, outside the view of residents and their living environment, we involve communities in the projects, exchange knowledge, and thereby increase support and awareness. We work closely with nature and environmental organizations, cooperatives, and similar projects.
Education
We are developing learning trajectories, including online and hybrid courses, based on the knowledge acquired during the project’s implementation. We promote student exchange and establish collaboration between educational partners in Flanders and the Netherlands.
Certification
We are working on certification services for testing in laboratories and at sea to ensure the efficiency and robustness of the developed systems.
Sustainable Perspective
The yield of our offshore energy transition is assessed by three types of end users: governments, project developers, and citizen cooperatives. Through their approval of our business cases, we attract further investments for both technology and projects. This should lead to bankable projects for the future, contributing to economic growth in the region and creating new jobs in the sustainable blue economy.
