Australia becomes a Member of the OES

The International Energy Agency (IEA) Ocean Energy Systems Technology Collaboration Programme (OES) is pleased to announce the accession of Australia to the OES.

After several year’s hiatus, the Australian Government has issued its intent to reinstate membership of the OES. This has been made possible via the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) International Engagement Program, which supports projects that advance renewable energy technologies along the innovation chain.

The contracting party nominated by the government is the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), an independent federal Government funded agency responsible for scientific and industrial research, with an ocean energy presence spanning decades.

The OES Chairman Henry Jeffrey, from the University of Edinburgh, welcomed Australia, stating their membership “underpins the attractiveness of the ocean energy resource in Australia and the important role that CSIRO play in shaping their future energy system.”

The Implementing Agreement was signed on the 6th of August 2018 by Tony Worby, Director of CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere (CSIRO), for and on behalf of the Government of Australia. Tony Worby, said: “CSIRO is committed to supporting sustainable growth of the blue economy locally and globally and to collaboration on opportunities of common interest. Through the IEA-OES we will support the ocean renewable energy sector to realise its potential and contribute to knowledge sharing across marine, engineering and energy domains.”

The new delegate to the OES Executive Committee, Mark Hemer, Team Leader of Sea-Level, Waves and Coastal Extremes at CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, said: “Having arguably the largest ocean renewable energy resource of any country in the world, Australia is in a position to benefit from a mature ocean energy sector. In recent years, a small but united Australian ocean renewable energy sector has emerged aiming to build a local industry. Ocean energy projects in Australia face the same set of challenges as seen internationally in the sector, and through Australia’s re-engagement in the IEA-OES we hope to contribute our knowledge and derive value from others.”

ENDS

ABOUT CSIRO
CSIRO is an Australian Government statutory authority within the Industry, Innovation and Science Portfolio, operating under the provisions of the Science and Industry Research Act 1949 (SIR Act). CSIRO’s purpose is to collaboratively address national priorities and assist industry by conducting and encouraging the uptake of world-class scientific research, managing research facilities on behalf of the nation and mobilising and developing the next generations of scientists for the benefit of Australia.

ABOUT THE OES
Ocean Energy Systems (OES), also known as the Technology Collaboration Programme on Ocean Energy Systems is an intergovernmental collaboration between countries, which operates under a framework established by the International Energy Agency in Paris. Presently, the OES has 25 member countries with a number of other observer countries in the process of joining.

CONTACTS
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Rua D. Jerónimo Osório, 11, 1º andar, 1400-119 Lisboa
Tel: +351 21 8482655
E-mail: info@ocean-energy-systems.org
WEBSITE: https://www.ocean-energy-systems.org/