Basque industry showcases its potential at the main marine energy event in Frane

Submitted by Jose Hormaeche on 09 November 2016

Seanergy 2016 hosted in Biarritz on 1st and 2nd June will attract 3,000 participants from 15 European countries. This international event will enable the reinforcement of Aquitaine-Euskadi Euroregion position in the sector.

Marine energy represents an alternative source of renewable energy for Europe with major future projection and offers great opportunities for the Basque industry. Euskadi has the necessary naval and auxiliary infrastructure to lead the implementation of these marine energy projects around the world, as well as a powerful energy sector derived from the Basque industrial, technological and component manufacturing capacity.

Basque industry will showcase its potential in the field of marine energy at the international fair Seanergy 2016, which will be hosted on 1st and 2nd June in Biarritz. This event, the most relevant sector event in France and one of the main ones in Europe, will be attended by 3,000 people from 15 countries as well as the major companies, institutions and cluster associations associated with marine energy and other sectors related.

The Basque Energy Cluster will have a prominent presence at Seanergy 2016 where along with the Basque Maritime Forum, it will be presenting Basque credentials in the field of wave and marine wind energy at two stands located in the exhibition area.

Wave energy

The Wave Energy Basque Country brand includes the major Basque companies and bodies in the wave power sector and will be represented at a joint stand shared with 7 companies and bodies: Azti, Bimep, Ditrel, EVE's plant at Mutriku, Tecnalia and Oceantec. This stand will show the capacity of these companies which make up an emerging sector where Euskadi aims to position itself as a global reference thanks to its technological and industrial background and its coastal characteristics.

Offshore wind energy

The Offshore Wind Energy Basque Country brand grouping together the main companies and bodies operating in the offshore wind energy sector will be presented at the second stand. This stand will also be used to share the results of the R&D project Marinel where 12 Basque companies and bodies have collaborated to design a new concept of large marine transformer substation for offshore wind farms.

Iberdrola, La Naval, Oasa, Ormazabal, Arteche, Ingeteam, Semantic and Tecnalia, with the collaboration of the Basque Energy Cluster and the Basque Maritime Forum, have implemented this initiative which has resulted in a transportable and auto-installable solution. This solution does not require large crane vessels for transport and installation thereby minimising work and reducing any associated risks.

Basque presence in the programme

As part of the official programme, Aitor Oregi, Director of the Basque Government Energy, Mines and Industrial Administration, will be taking part as a guest in the opening venue representing Euskadi along with Alain Rousset, president of the ALPC region and current president of the Euroregion.

In addition, the technical Director of the testing infrastructure Bimep, Dorleta Marina, will be participating as a key speaker at one of the round tables on day two. The week will finish with a series of technical visits including the outstanding wave energy plant at Mutriku.

About Seanergy 2016

Seanergy 2016 is organised by BlueSign with the support of the ALPC region, a concentration of Côte Basque Adour and the city of Biarritz. This event will take place in the French Basque city of Halle de Iraty and provide an exhibition area for the presentation of offers from 220 companies and an attractive programme of technical conferences. A networking space for companies in collaboration with the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) will also be offered.

This international event is expected to reinforce the position of the Aquitaine-Euskadi Euroregion in the sector.

"From seanergies to seanergy"

Seanergy 2016 is the meeting point resulting from the Euroregional initiative "From seanergies to seanergy", which has been developed through four technical workshops to promote the exchange of experiences and projects among companies from Aquitaine and Euskadi in the field of marine energy. The workshops, which have taken place in Bayonne, Bordeaux, San Sebastián and Bilbao, were dedicated to logistic and port infrastructures, renewable marine energy research, wind turbine foundations and wind and current energy, respectively.

Marine Energy Week 2017

From 27th to 31st March 2017 Bilbao will host the third Marine Energy Week, the main marine energy congress in the south of Europe. This venue will bring together the main agents, companies, researchers and decision-making leaders involved in the development of marine energy sources organised by the alliance of the Basque Energy Board (EVE), Tecnalia Technology Corporation and Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC).

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