Abstract
When the EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy (Offshore Strategy) was released in November 2020, few predicted the crisis that would soon impact Europe’s energy systems. But as the circumstances changed dramatically, the Offshore Strategy only became more and more relevant. Deepening and widening access to Europe’s indigenous renewable energy sources is more critical than ever. The heightened importance of the Offshore Strategy – almost 2 years later – proves the strategic foresight of the European Commission’s Green Deal. Prioritising decarbonisation and building of a new prosperity based on sustainable technologies and practices will always be the right path – irrespective of changing circumstances. This strategic approach is encapsulated in the European Commission’s deployment targets for tidal and wave energy: 100 MW by 2025, 1 GW by 2030 and 40 GW by 2050. In its Offshore Strategy, the Commission committed to coordinate with national and regional authorities to fund the 2025 and 2030 targets. But while the value of the Offshore Strategy has been reaffirmed by recent events, its implementation remains slow and patchy. As a direct result, Europe is now at risk of missing its 2025 ocean energy deployment target. The ‘Target 2025’ pipeline of wave & tidal projects2 clearly shows how projects need to reach final investment decision by late 2023, if they are to deploy at sea by the end of 2025.