EU funding for cross-border collaboration

Ocean Energy ERA-NET is inviting joint calls for collaborative research and innovation projects on wave, and tidal, as well as salinity and thermal gradient technologies. The funding is available to both industry and academia: http://www.oceaneranet.eu/pages/joint-calls-8.html. The deadline for the first call is 18 December 2014: http://www.oceaneranet.eu/News/first-oceanera-net-joint-call-2014-now-open-62.html. Topics include design and development of devices and components, sea trials, development of design tools and standards, and work aimed at improving reliability, survivability, cost of energy and environmental impacts.

In a nutshell: Peaks and troughs (Garrad)

Another of my favourite talks at the Royal Society’s ‘Peaks and Troughs’ workshop is ‘Lessons from the wind energy industry’. Andrew Garrad (as in Garrad-Hassan), describes what worked for onshore wind, as well as what didn’t, and suggested what marine renewables could learn from this experience. His seminar is essential reading (or listening: the sound recording is available) for anyone who is interested in what is driving the current investment climate, and what can be done to weather it.