OVERVIEW
2018 has been a beneficial year for ocean energy in Spain. Several ongoing projects showed progress on reliability of ocean energy (a new full year operation at Mutriku Wave Power Plant feeding electricity to the grid), marine operations and improvements under OPERA Projects, several developments on corrosion and fouling resistant coatings being tested at the Marine Corrosion Test Site “El Bocal”, a new offshore facility – HARSHLAB – placed at BiMEP to test materials, some off-grid wave buoy testing at PLOCAN and Punta Langosteira Test Site (a new test site at the Galician coast).
Anyway, there are still several barriers to remove. Ocean energy needs to demonstrate the ability to improve on efficiency, reliability and feasibility to be considered as a potential contributor to the future energy mix supply. And it needs a stable legal frame and proactive policy to push forward the development of the sector.