Offshore for Sure | Energy transition at sea

The Offshore for Sure (O4S) project

Project description

The development of a CO2 neutral energy system with less dependency on gas is a challenge at local, regional, national and European level. We feel the urgency to accelerate innovations and jointly create the conditions for scaling up, in order to make a serious contribution to a sustainable energy transition, which will certainly also take place offshore. There isa great need for integrated solutions. By combining various technologies for energy production and storage at sea, the offshore sector can also contribute to higher flexibility and security of supply in the energy system of the future. With increasing assets at sea, attention to cybersecurity is also important.

Objectives

The objective of the Offshore for Sure project is to accelerate the regional energy transition and stimulate the sustainable blue economy in close cooperation between Belgian and Dutch technology developers, service providers, civil society organizations and knowledge institutions.

Five developers of innovative offshore renewable energy solutions (tidal, wave, offshore floating solar and offshore energy storage) are joining forces with a clear plan for roll-out. During the project, testing and certification services will be developed around these innovations, which can also be used for other technology developers beyond the project.

The knowledge gained in the project is immediately valorised in the form of recommendations for legislation and regulations, improved standards and the development of content for training and education in a sustainable partnership between education partners in Flanders and Zeeland (the Netherlands). Thanks to validated business cases (for ports, integration in dams, autonomous applications and integration in wind farms), we expect to attract new investments in the developed technologies, from governments, private investors and citizen cooperatives.

Collaboration focused on three domains

Policy & Public Engagement

As a significant portion of the developments take place at sea, outside the view of residents and their living environment, we aim to involve people 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.

Project partners

The O4S project is a cooperation between partners in Belgium and the Netherlands: BLUESPRING (NL), Deftiq (NL), Dutch Wave Power (NL), Ecopower (BE), FLASC (NL), HOWEST Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen (BE), International Marine & Dredging Consultants IMDC (BE), Oceans of Energy (NL), Parkwind (BE), Rijkswaterstaat (NL), Tocardo (NL), Ghent University (BE), Vereniging Zeeuwse Milieufederatie (NL), Water2Energy (NL), WorldClassMaintenance (NL).

Partners of the Offshore for Sure project

Main roles of Ghent University research groups

The Coastal Engineering Research Group will use its expertise to support technology developers Dutch Wave Power and Offshore Solar with numerical modelling and experimental testing of their wave energy conversion system and floating solar PV. Soete Laboratory will perform research on aspects such as fatigue, abrasion, corrosion and combined degradation in an offshore setting, to increase sustainability of materials and optimize lifespan of installations. The Electrical Energy Laboratory (EELAB) will perform research to gain insights in the development of a robust and flexible energy system. Outcomes of the project activities will feed into the development of new training content and will support the creation of a durable cooperation between Ghent University and knowledge partners in Flanders and the Netherlands.

Duration and budget

Offshore for Sure runs from 1 July 2023 until 30 June 2026, with a total budget of approx. 10 million euro. The project receives funding from the Interreg Vlaanderen–Nederland 2021-2027 program VI, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under subsidy contract number Int6B015. Additionally, the Ministry of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands, the Dutch provinces of Zeeland, North Brabant, and South Holland, as well as the Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) and the province of East Flanders provide financial support.

Funding organisations

Funding organisations of the Offshore for Sure project

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