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Program
North Sea 2022-2027
With the North Sea Programme 2022-2027, the government sets the framework for spatial use of the North Sea. The main task is to find the balance between spatial development within the preconditions of a healthy ecosystem and reducing pollution. The North Sea Agreement defines five 'major tasks', including the energy transition and (the development of) a sustainable blue economy.
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Here you will find the design program and the summary of EWA's vision for the future.
EWA Prerequisites
Energy from water can play an important role in this. But of course this does not happen automatically, the right preconditions are needed for this, including possibilities for realizing large-scale demonstration projects. EWA is drawing up a response, with input from members and stakeholders, to make the necessary steps clear, as part of the consultation process.
Vision for the future
The prospects of 'energy from water' are substantial. This applies to various coastal regions where energy from water can contribute substantially to the energy transition with an excellent integration into the landscape and the grid capacity. For the Dutch energy transition, wave and tidal technologies at offshore wind farms offer the possibility to extract more energy from a part of the busy North Sea. This also contributes to the security of electricity supply, which will become increasingly challenging in the future if wind and sun are not or only limitedly available. Electricity production from water at that time reduces the need for expensive storage and thus lowers the costs of a fully sustainable energy system.
The Netherlands is a leader in a number of energy from water technologies. Further development of these builds on the worldwide and rock-solid reputation of 'Netherlands Waterland'. Export of these technologies offers future sustainable and high-quality employment.
In this planning period there is room for innovation and experimentation in this area, which we must set up smartly and in a targeted manner. This could involve more proven underwater turbines, but also recently developed technologies such as underwater kites or floats for harvesting wave energy.
