Annual Report for 2012

The Executive Committee of Ocean Energy Systems (OES), an IEA Technology Initiative, announces the publication of its most recent Annual Report that presents the activities undertaken by OES during 2012.

The Committee for Energy Research and Technology (CERT) confirmed on 28 February 2012 that OES had successfully secured a 3rd 5-year term and the Executive has been working since that time to begin to deliver the actions outlined in the Strategic Plan. During 2012 the following research projects and activities were conducted:

• Communication and outreach activities, including presentations at 13 international ocean energy conferences around the world;
   
• Phase II of the International Vision brochure and the respective modelling work in collaboration with the IEA modelling team;
   
• Research project “Assessment of Environmental Effects and Monitoring Efforts for Ocean Wave, Tidal and Current Energy Systems” (to be concluded in March 2013);
   
• Research project “The Exchange and Assessment of Ocean Energy Device Project Information and Experience” (initiated in 2012 and running for 3 years).

A comprehensive overview of international activities and achievements in ocean energy can be found in the country reports produced by each member country and two Observers (The Netherlands and France).

Since 2008, the Annual Report has also included a special section dedicated to articles by invited experts addressing a specific theme. This year the chosen theme is “Development of the International Ocean Energy Industry – Performance Improvements and Cost Reductions”.

Download the 2012 Annual Report here!

Energy Department Launches New Database to Support Sustainable Development of Ocean Energy Resources

As part of an international collaboration with the International Energy Agency, the Energy Department today launched a new database that includes results of environmental monitoring and research efforts on wave, tidal and current energy development worldwide. Called “Tethys,” after the Greek titaness of the ocean, the database will help industry regulators and energy project developers deploy sustainable ocean energy projects in an environmentally responsible manner.

The database is accompanied by a final report, which contains syntheses of existing information from around the world for research and monitoring efforts that are related to three particular environmental issues of potential concern. These include physical interactions between animals and tidal turbines, the acoustic impact of ocean energy devices on marine organisms, and the effects of energy removal on physical systems (e.g. hydrodynamics, sediment transport). Those summaries are presented as case studies within the report and contain descriptions of environmental monitoring efforts and research studies, lessons learned, and analyses of remaining information gaps. This final report draws largely on information from the database, and from two workshops each comprised of over 50 international experts held in 2010 and 2012 as part of the Annex IV project. 

Read more about Tethy here

Download the final Annex IV report here