The main project objective is to reduce the cost of energy (LCOE) of floating wind by 50% through the validation of the "PivotBuoy", an innovative subsystem that reduces the costs of mooring systems and floating platforms, allows faster and cheaper installation and a more reliable and sustainable operation. The PivotBuoy system combines the advantages of Single Point Mooring systems (SPM - pre-installation of the mooring and connection system using small vessels) with those of tension-leg systems (TLPs - weight reduction, reduced mooring length and enhanced stability), enabling a radical weight reduction of 50% to 90% in floating wind systems compared to current spar and semi-submersible systems but also enabling a critical simplification in the installation of traditional TLP systems. The PivotBuoy concept, initially conceived by its founder while at MIT, is currently at TRL3 after the proof of concept in a wave tank at 1:64 scale and it is the result of years of experience. The project proposes validating the concept at PLOCAN test site, integrating a part-scale prototype of the PivotBuoy single point mooring system in a 225kW downwind floating platform developed by X1 WIND. By testing in a relevant environment, the project will also validate critical innovations related to assembly, installation and O&M techniques, reaching TRL5 at the project end. The impact of the proposed innovations is sector wide: the system can be integrated not only in X1 WIND downwind platform but in any other floating platforms using single point moorings systems in the wind and in other sectors such as wave energy, tidal and oil&gas industries. The project consortium, combining experienced industrial partners from the oil&gas, naval and offshore wind sectors with cutting-edge R&D centres, will also bring additional innovations in components, materials and installation and O&M techniques, advancing the state-of-the-art of the floating wind sector.

The SET Implementation Plan for Ocean Energy (IP) was adopted by the SET-Plan Steering Committee on the 21st of March 2018. The IP was prepared by a Temporary Working Group, with representatives from the European Commission, Member States and other stakeholders. For the execution of the IP, the TWG has evolved to assume the role of the Implementation Working Group (IWG). Support for the OE sector to date has focused on the development of research and roadmaps which have set out the aspirations of wave and tidal sector. The principle of the IP is to transform those aspirations into operational actions. The actions listed within the IP are primarily based upon the Ocean Energy Strategic Roadmap, which has been agreed by the EC, MS, Regions, stakeholders and the wider ocean energy sector. The ambition of the IP is to outline a structured approach that will enable wave and tidal technologies to follow a credible development path, with the ultimate destination of a commercially viable products and industry. The target timescale presented in the IP is 2025 for tidal technologies and 2030 for wave technologies. OceanSET will assist the IWG to continue their work to deliver on the targets set in the IP. In particular OceanSET will focus on assessing the progress of the ocean energy sector and will monitor the National and EU funded projects in delivering successful supports. Relevant data will be collected annually and will be used to inform MS and EU Commission on progress of the sector, it will also be used to review what works and what doesn’t and to assess how to maximise the benefit of the funding streams provided across the MS, Regions and the EC. The partners on this project include representatives from Ireland (SEAI), UK (WES, University of Edinburgh), France (FEM), Portugal (DGEG), Spain (EVE, PLOCAN), Italy (ENEA) and from the industry (OEE). The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) will be lead partner on the project.

The Open and Universal Science (OPUS) project will develop coordination and support measures to reform the assessment of research and researchers at Research Performing Organisations (RPOs) and Research Funding Organisations (RFOs) towards a system that incentivises and rewards researchers to practise Open Science. We understand the term ‘Open Science’ to refer to practices providing open access to research outputs, early and open sharing of research, participation in open peer-review, measures to ensure reproducibility of results, involving all stakeholders in cocreation. We henceforth in this proposal employ this interpretation of Open Science with a specific focus on reforming the research(er) assessment system to incentivise and reward researchers to take up these practices. OPUS employs a three-tiered approach to ensure representation and consensus building of key stakeholder groups in the Open Science ecosystem: (1) our large project consortium consists of researcher organisations, RPOs, RFOs, industry organisations, and experts in project management, public relations, and Open Science (2) a series of stakeholder engagement sessions will be held with the broader community to gather input and validate key project deliverables (3) an Advisory Board of key representatives will ensure expert oversight and links to the community. • Objective 1: Conduct a comprehensive state-of-the-art on existing literature and initiatives for Open Science • Objective 2: Develop a comprehensive set of interventions to implement Open Science at RPOs and RFOs • Objective 3: Develop realistic indicators and metrics to monitor and drive Open Science at RPOs and RFOs • Objective 4: Test the interventions and indicators and metrics via action plans in pilots at RPOs and RFOs • Objective 5: Utilise a stakeholder-driven feed-back loop to develop, monitor, refine, and validate actions • Objective 6: Synthesise outcomes into policy briefs and a revised OS-CAM2 for research(er) assessment

Empowering Community Led Action in the Atlantic & Arctic (ACT-AA) aims to mobilise and engage communities across the Atlantic and Arctic regions in ambitious efforts to restore and protect marine and freshwater ecosystems. By fostering community-led initiatives, the project seeks to make significant progress toward the objectives of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030.” ACT-AA will provide comprehensive support to local stakeholders, including financial aid through cascading grants, technical assistance, and capacity-building resources to ensure effective and sustainable ecosystem restoration actions. ACT-AA’s key components include: 1. Cascading Grants for Community-Led Pilot Actions: Awarding at least 5 grants ranging from EUR 200,000 to EUR 2 million each to innovative projects addressing local ecological and socio-economic challenges. 2. Support for Transition Agendas: Funding at least 20 strategic roadmaps, each up to EUR 100,000, to guide communities in achieving the Mission’s objectives and ensuring long-term sustainability. 3. Technical Assistance: Providing tailored support, including business plan development, impact assessments, and capacity-building programs, to enhance local stakeholders’ ability to implement and scale innovative solutions. Expected outcomes include: 1. Demonstrable, measurable progress towards the Mission’s objectives through well-managed, community-led actions. 2. Support for EU member states and stakeholders in implementing marine and freshwater ecosystem related legislation. 3. Increased engagement and resource mobilization from communities to restore oceans, seas, and waters. 4. Enhanced readiness at the local level to deploy innovative restoration solutions. ACT-AA will ensure broad participation, leveraging local knowledge and fostering long-term commitment to ecosystem protection, thus contributing significantly to the European Green Deal’s biodiversity, pollution, and climate targets.

MINKE will integrate key European marine metrology research infrastructures, to coordinate their use and development and propose an innovative framework of “quality of oceanographic data” for the different European actors in charge of monitoring and managing the marine ecosystems. MINKE proposes a new vision in the design of marine monitoring networks considering two dimensions of data quality, accuracy and completeness, as the driving components of the quality in data acquisition. This new vision will be framed in a quintuple helix model of innovation, incorporating all the elements involved in the monitoring network design: ● the context (ocean health), identifying the Essential Ocean variables (EOVs) as the key parameters to monitor ● the civil society (NGO, Makers community, Social media and Citizen Science platforms) as the key actors to ensure data completeness ● the academia researching new methods to ensure the accuracy and the global quality of the final products, developing tools for integrating the information of top-qualified oceanographic instruments and low-cost instrumentation. ● the industry improving the performance of the observations with new instrumentation, data-transmission systems and cost-effective technologies ● the governments that provide the legal and socio-economic frameworks to develop the proposed network The present proposal, through the different Integration Activities (Networking, Transnational-Virtual Access and Joint Research), aims to lay the groundwork for creating the necessary synergies among the different involved actors in the quintuple helix model of innovation, creating a new community with complementary capabilities for Ocean & Coastal Observation, that will facilitate the transition towards a blue growth socio-economic system.