A new opportunity for wave energy developers to advance their technology is on its way, thanks to the EuropeWaveproject. The project is calling on wave developers to give input into its Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP), a tender which will open in June 2021.
Wave energy developers can find out more about the planned process and are invited to register their interest in the future tender via a Prior Information Notice (PIN). On 26 April, a consultation webinar will be held to allow direct feedback and questions from participants. Advance queries can be submitted up to a week ahead of the webinar.
This innovative procurement process will award R&D service contracts to developers as part of a three-stage process. A competitive call for tender will be open to wave energy developers, initially to participate in the first stage of ‘concept development.’ After each stage is completed, the best of the competing solutions will be selected to progress to the following phase.
During the second stage, contractors will undertake detailed design & modelling activities. The final phase involves the manufacturing, an open-sea deployment and testing programme at specialist test sites in Scotland and the Basque Country.
The EuropeWave project aims to accelerate the design, development, and demonstration of cost-effective wave energy converter (WEC) systems to produce clean electricity. The procurement process will select the best technologies across three key challenge areas: performance, reliability & survivability, and affordability.
Developers can record their interest in the PIN and submit queries in advance of the consultation here: EuropeWave PIN on the Public Contracts Scotland website.
The PIN can also be viewed in the Spanish or Basque languages here: EuropeWave PIN on the Basque Public Contracts portal.
Key dates:
- 19 April: Deadline for queries prior to consultation
- 26 April: Open consultation via a public webinar
- 3 May: Deadline for queries following consultation
- June 2021: Call for tender opens
- September 2021: Call for tender closes
For further information, please contact:
Amy Parsons, Communications & Events Director, Ocean Energy Europe
info@europewave.eu
+32 2400 1043
About EuropeWave
EuropeWave is an innovative R&D programme for wave energy technology. It will combine over €22.5m of national, regional and EU funding to drive a competitive Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) programme for wave energy.
The EuropeWave PCP programme is based on similar programmes implemented by Wave Energy Scotland. The approach fosters greater openness, collaboration and sharing of risk between the public sector and technology developers through three key elements: a PCP funding model; structured innovation – a stage-gated industrial development process; and, internationally agreed performance standards and metrics. The programme's overarching challenge is the design, development, and demonstration of cost-effective wave energy converter (WEC) systems for electrical power production that can survive in the harsh and unpredictable ocean environment.
www.europewave.eu