Fast-tracking Offshore Renewable energy With Advanced Research to Deploy 2030MW of tidal energy before 2030

Ocean energy has the potential to provide a substantial amount of renewable and reliable energy around the world. European waters have about 10 GW of predictable high-value tidal stream potential. The EU-funded FORWARD-2030 project will accelerate the commercial deployment of tidal energy, which is in line with the European Green Deal. Specifically, the project will develop a multi-vector energy system that will combine predictable floating tidal energy, wind generation, grid export, battery storage and green hydrogen production. Moreover, it will create an integrated environmental monitoring system, an energy management system and an operational forecasting tool. Ultimately, FORWARD-2030 will complete a supply chain plan, a societal cost of energy assessment tool, marine spatial planning and a life-cycle carbon reduction assessment.

Objectives

There is 10 GW of predictable, high value tidal stream potential in European waters, with up to 100 GW of capacity globally. It is an entirely unharnessed resource, with just 13 MW currently deployed .

FORWARD-2030 has an overall objective to fast track 2030MW of tidal energy deployment by 2030. The project has five specific objectives:

1. Reducing Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) from ?200/MWh to ?150/MWh,
2. Enhancing environmental and societal acceptance,
3. Complete industrial design for volume manufacture rollout for 10 and 100+ MW projects,
4. Reducing life cycle carbon emissions by 33% from 18 gCO2 eq/kWh to 12 gCO2 eq/kWh,
5. Enhancing commercial returns and energy system integration (with battery storage and green hydrogen production).

Objective 1 is focused on fast-tracking innovation to support the development of a technically and commercially viable tidal energy solution by rapidly reducing LCOE. This will be achieved by developing and verifying seven high priority cost reduction innovations to reduce CAPEX, reduce OPEX, increase efficiency and increase availability.

Objectives 2, 3, 4 and 5 are focused on the regulatory and commercial barriers that must be overcome to achieve the project vison of installing 2030MW of tidal energy by 2030. It will be achieved by developing three market uptake innovations: an integrated environmental monitoring system, an energy management system, and an operational forecasting tool. Four market rollout initiatives will be completed: a supply chain plan for large scale roll out, Societal Cost of Energy (SCOE) assessment tool, marine spatial planning to encompass floating tidal and a life cycle carbon reduction assessment.

Project partners

• Orbital Marine Power, United Kingdom;
• European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), United Kingdom;
• SKF, Germany & Sweden;
• University College Cork, Ireland;
• University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom;
• ENGIE Laborelec, Belgium.