Momentum for ocean energy at Ocean Energy Europe 2025
- Peter Scheijgrond
- Nov 7
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 10
By Peter Scheijgrond – 06-11-2025
Chairman of EWA, CEO of Bluespring, and Manager of Offshore For Sure and Offshore Proof
November 2025 – Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) 2025 once again confirmed why it’s the annual gathering for the ocean energy sector. Over 300 participants from nearly 40 countries came together in Brussels for two packed days of presentations, debates, and networking. The event brought together the full spectrum of the sector – from innovative start-ups to large developers, from policymakers to financiers – all focused on turning ocean energy into a strong pillar of Europe’s clean energy system.
Who was there?
As usual, the UK (including Wales & Scotland) probably had the largest delegation, followed by significant attendance from Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Spain. There were also smaller but notable delegations (less than 10) from the US (including Alaska), Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. The rest of the world was represented too — from Japan and Australia to Barbados, the Faroe Islands, Georgia, and Iceland — showing how international the ocean energy community is.
Conference highlights
The event kicked off with a Welcome Reception at Scotland House, followed by an informal "Dutch" dinner where around a dozen participants from companies like Equinox, WECO, Bluespring, Campus@Sea, DMEC, Teijin Aramide, got together.
Day one focused on the flagship projects from HydroQuest, Proteus, SeaTurn, and CorPower, alongside sessions on financing innovation and industry growth. Keynotes by Pierre Vogt (Normandie) and Costas Kadis (European Commissioner for Fisheries & Ocean) underlined Europe’s commitment to ocean energy, referencing the upcoming Ocean Act (expected 2026), designed to boost sustainable ocean use and energy deployment.
In the afternoon, the EuropeWave Phase 3 results were presented — featuring Mocean (UK), CETO (AU), and IDOM (ES) — followed by discussions on grid flexibility, tidal deployment, and lessons learned from test sites.
Day two included sessions on business case development, risk reduction, and tidal tech showcases (from Orbital, Minesto, Meygen, ORPC, NOVA, Inyanga and Magallanes) and wave tech showcases (by CETO, WaveOp, Havkraft), closing with a strong industry panel on accelerating industrialisation of ocean energy in Europe.
Dutch contributions were visible throughout the programme. WECO, DMEC and Slow Mill took the stage, while EWA, DeRegt, SeaQurrent, Bluespring, Campus@Sea Equinox, Slow Mill, DMEC, and Symphony were well represented on the exhibition floor.
Vi Maris Award
The Vi Maris (“Power of the Sea”) Award went to Guillaume Gréau, Development Director at HydroQuest, for his long-standing dedication to advancing tidal energy technology and commercial deployment.
Insights and trends
The Innovation Fund announced that its next call for proposals will open in two weeks, with a total budget of €40 billion up to 2030. Ocean energy continues to perform well within the programme — out of 359 applications, 61 were funded, including 11 pilot projects, 5 of which were ocean energy.
The “Building the Business Case” session stressed the need for clear risk mapping, diversified financing, and consistent public support. Investors called for insurance schemes, certification, and long-term policy certainty to attract capital. Venture capitalists reminded the audience that they rarely invest in R&D but look for committed teams and tangible milestones. Impact funds want revenue guarantees, while institutions like the EIB emphasised transparency and shared responsibility in project development.
A nice takeaway came from Yago Torre-Enciso (BiMEP), who shared his four Ts:
Take Time – "test in November instead of May"
Trust Test Centres – they’ve seen it all
Seek external Talent
Find comfort in (IEC) Technical Specifications
Offshore Proof at OEE
Partners POM and OPEN-C joined us at OEE 2025, together with Lina and myself representing Campus@Sea. During the session “From Tank to Ocean”, Ewout Vandorpe presented the Blue Accelerator test platform, moderated by Marlene Kiersnovski from OPEN-C. Throughout the conference, we met many technology developers at TRL 4–5 who expressed interest in testing through Offshore Proof — showing that the appetite for real-sea validation and accredited test facilities in Europe is growing fast.
Offshore Proof at OEE
The Offshore For Sure partners —Tocardo, Ghent University, IMDC), and Bluespring — were actively present, noting recent policy instruments and market trends, while promoting the research and technical support offered by UG, IMDC, and Bluespring. A dedicated Ocean Literacy panel at our exhibition stand showcased the consortium’s online courses, which drew considerable interest from visitors worldwide.
Looking ahead
For EWA, Bluespring, Offshore For Sure, and Offshore Proof, OEE 2025 was more than just a networking event — it was a confirmation that our collective focus on real-sea testing, certification, and collaboration is exactly where the sector is heading. The conversations in Brussels showed a clear shift toward scaling up, building investor confidence, and industrialising Europe’s ocean energy supply chain.
And there’s more to look forward to:The next big milestone will be ICOE–OEE 2026, to be held on 5–7 October 2026 in The Hague, proudly hosted by EWA (Energy from Water Association) in cooperation with Ocean Energy Europe. So mark your calendars — next year, the global ocean energy community comes to the Netherlands!
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