EWA General Assembly at Teijin Aramid- Growing synergies in offshore energy innovation

The Energy from Water Association (EWA) held its General Assembly at the headquarters of Teijin Aramid in Arnhem, hosted in their state-of-the-art R&D center. The meeting brought together EWA members and key stakeholders from across the offshore energy industry.

Teijin Aramid, a global leader in high-performance aramid fibers, welcomed the group with warm hospitality, interesting presentations, and a tour of their facilities. Their advanced fiber technology—used in cables, ropes, and mooring systems—offers promising solutions for the offshore renewable sector. Teijin is now exploring collaborations with several EWA-members.

Sector highlights & member achievements

The Assembly included updates from a wide range of members:

• Symphony Wave Power started dry-testing of their prototype and signed a pilot agreement with OneDyas to power their offshore operations.

• Weco tested their “drop-and-pull” method at the offshore field test near Scheveningen.

• Delta 21 has entered into a multi-partner collaboration agreement to create more momentum for their large scale energy storage solution

• Oryon watermill secured sales leads in The Congo

• Slowmill and SeaQurrent both ran successful offshore tests in 2024, moving closer to autonomous operation.

• EQA Projects secured permits for river installations near the German border.

• Wave Hexapod and Pols-Wermers all advanced technology readiness through prototype deployment and testing.

• Campus@Sea continues to build a network of IECRE recognised offshore test sites through the Offshore Proof project funded under INTERREG NWE.

• As part of the INTERREG VLANED Offshore For Sure project, Water2Energy has successfully deployed its tidal turbine at the Vlissingen sluice gate, featuring a new pitch system that improves performance by over 20% and Dutch Wave Power has begun construction of its offshore prototype, set to be tested later this year at the Offshore Test Site (OTS) Scheveningen.

• Preparations are being made by Bluespring and the Zeeuwse Milieu Federatie (ZMF), for a white paper containing policy recommendations aimed at supporting the development of the offshore renewable energy sector. This is a key opportunity for EWA members to contribute their practical experiences, regulatory challenges, and strategic perspectives.

• Preparations are well underway for the ICOE-OEE 2026 conference, which EWA will co-host in the Netherlands. The event will mark a major milestone for marine energy, expected to draw international attention.

  
  

From technological milestones to policy influence, the EWA community is gaining momentum. Members contributed to consultations on Dutch and EU subsidy frameworks, helped refine certification standards, and participated in events like OEE 2024 (Aviemore) and OEEC 2024, strengthening both national and international collaboration.

Strategic developments & government updates

Representatives from the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth (KGG) and RVO provided updates on public funding, regulatory support, and evolving policy priorities. These include:

• Broader metrics for innovation funding, beyond just CO₂ reduction.

• Increased focus on grid stability, system integration, and industrial resilience.

• Continued work on permitting and subsidy access for emerging technologies.

  
  

RVO encourages EWA member to contribute to forums such as the IEA-OES Technology Collaboration Programme, an international platform for collaboration on common challenges.

Teijin Aramid: enabling the offshore energy transition

The event’s host, Teijin Aramid, gave an excellent presentation on the role of advanced fibers in offshore applications. The team highlighted how aramid materials significantly reduce the weight and cost of subsea cables while improving performance under extreme conditions. Use cases range from dynamic mooring lines to deep-sea power export cables.

With promising links to our members and a clear interest in collaborative R&D, Teijin Aramid is well placed to play a role in future offshore energy projects.

Looking ahead

With the ICOE-OEE 2026 conference on the horizon and a surge of real-world demonstrations underway, 2025/2026 marks a turning point for the EWA network. Innovation is no longer just in the lab — it’s in the water, on the grid, and scaling fast.

📅 Upcoming Events:

• 5–11 September 2025: International WaTERS & EWTEC, Madeira

• 9 September 2025: Offshore Experience, Den Helder (Human Capital focus)

• 18 September 2025: Digital Twin Event the Kaap

• 18 September, Digital Twin event, De Kaap, Vlissingen

• 4-5 November - Ocean Energy Europe, Brussels

• 25-26 November - Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference, Amsterdam