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.

SEETIP Ocean’s mission is to enhance cooperation and collaboration amongst stakeholders both inside and outside of the European ocean energy sector. This mission is broken down into 6 objectives: 1. Maximise European scientific excellence in ocean energy 2. Make sustainability and the Just Transition an integral part of ocean energy’s development 3. Build a deeper understanding of how ocean energy can optimally fit into the wider energy, industrial & infrastructure systems and planning systems, and help realise this integration 4. Empower the SET Plan Ocean Energy Implementation Working Group and other public authorities by monitoring, analysing and reporting annual commentary on the sector’s progress 5. Reinforce and expand the ocean energy network through strong outreach actions 6. Continue the work of ETIP Ocean and SET Plan Ocean Energy IWG after the project ends Ocean energy can power European society and economic life with electricity that is renewable, dependable and in harmony with local communities and environments. To reach this potential, sectoral stakeholders must collaborate, share knowledge and avoid duplication of efforts. SEETIP Ocean will do this by supporting the activities of both the European Technology & Innovation Platform for ocean energy (ETIP Ocean) and the SET Plan Ocean Energy Implementation Working Group. The project’s objectives will be achieved through coordination actions bringing individuals and organisations together to exchange knowledge, create new knowledge and build more and deeper connections. Widespread knowledge-sharing will be facilitated via webinars and workshops. Based on these exchanges, SEETIP Ocean will publish accessible studies and reports that will be widely disseminated across and beyond the ocean energy sector. The SET Plan Ocean Energy IWG’s work will be supported with annual updated information on sector’s progress and policy and funding support. Up-to-date and accurate data will inform the IWG’s decision-making.

Integrating activities planned under MaRINET 2 build upon the achievements of the advanced community created in MaRINET FP7. MaRINET 2 will ensure the continued integration and enhancement of all leading European research infrastructure and facilities specialising in research, development and testing of offshore renewable energy systems including electrical sub systems and grid integration through a range of TRLs (1-7). MaRINET FP7 proved the added value of uniting these facilities, and substantially improving their capability as a community of practice to deliver consistent testing services ensuring, quantifiable, stepwise innovation and progress in the development of devices and key components, and identifying critical areas for further technical investigation and enhancement. Whilst activities proposed under MaRINET 2 will follow the same formula, balancing networking/ joint research/ and transnational access, the consortium and scope of work is expanded to include xx partners in xx countries with xx facilities. The e-infrastructure programme fills a strategic gap. Taking stock of existing capacities for data management/sharing; it addresses user requirements and demonstrates the operation of a new system based on standards and tools adapted from the SeaDataNet infrastructure. The European Commission and member states recognise offshore renewable energy as an important source of clean energy that can: generate economic growth and employment; increase energy security; and boost competitiveness and technological innovation. The realisation of this potential depends on the accelerated development, deployment and grid integration of reliable, efficient technologies for harvesting offshore renewable energy, which in turn requires robust and exhaustive testing in dedicated facilities operated by practitioners with specialised expertise. MaRINET 2 provides this ecosystem, and is pre-eminently suited to fostering the next generation of offshore renewable energy devices.

ETIP Ocean 2 has 3 strategic objectives: - Ensure optimal use of existing resources for the sector and streamline sectoral activities; - Support and accelerate European and global deployment of ocean energy; - Ensure that the potential benefits for European industry and society are maximised. The European ocean energy sector has major potential. To reach this potential sectoral stakeholders must collaborate, share knowledge, and avoid the duplication of efforts. There is also a need for close cooperation between the public and private stakeholders. The ETIP Ocean 2 project has been designed to deliver this. Stakeholder exchanges via the ETIP Ocean platform will be strengthened. A series of structured and targeted webinars and workshops will be organised. These will cover the key challenges facing the ocean energy sector – in the domains of technology, finance, social and environmental – and will allow stakeholders from across the sector to exchange and coordinate. Based upon stakeholder exchanges, a series of accessible and information-based studies and reports will be released. The work to produce these publications will focus exchanges, and will help ensure that learnings from the project are widely disseminated. They will be accessible to those who did not participate directly, and will preserve learnings beyond the lifetime of the project. Finally, ETIP Ocean 2 will support the coordination of public and private stakeholders. By acting as a bridge to the SET Plan Ocean Energy Working Group, ETIP Ocean 2 will ensure that sectoral activities are aligned with the actions and objectives of the SET Plan Ocean Energy Implementation Plan. The ETIP Ocean 2 project will engage all stakeholders and foster cooperation; align stakeholders to commonly agreed goals; find novel approaches to the development of technological and social processes related to the energy transition, and coordinate stakeholders in the context of the SET Plan Ocean Energy Implementation Plan.

SYNERGIES PILLAR: SMARTSPEND is going to put booster rockets under the SET Plan. It will bring all the non-nuclear energy sectors together for a focused discussion on their common interests around technology development and non-technology barriers to the uptake of their technologies. The partners will then talk in parallel to all Implementation Working Groups to ensure that synergies between the ideas, plans and ambitions of each sector are exploited. This will happen at the start, middle and end of the project. FINANCIAL STRATEGIES PILLAR: SMARTSPEND will also get energy sectors to sit together and discuss their common needs for financing, and compare the way in which each federates its European energy R&I interest and presents it to the Commission. The messages from discussions under both Pillars will be brought to the attention of high-level government officials (ideally ministers) individually through a concerted campaign in SET Plan country capitals. This is SMARTSPEND’s ‘Roadshow’, in which delegations of 5 relevant company bosses are created, briefed, and sent to the minister to tell their story and share their views. In addition, the project will ensure all are better aware of the EU’s soft loan scheme for energy innovation, EDP Innovfin, and of ETS Innovation Fund. Both can complement national or European grants. SMARTSPEND will organise a conference, “Access to Risk Finance” for energy technology developers and the managers of public and private financing or funding schemes. Knowledge of the schemes’ opportunities will be spread widely. The SMARTSPEND consortium has the ideal make-up to reach deep into the community of stakeholders behind each SET Plan energy technology. Leading organisations behind the few technologies not represented in the consortium have sent letters of support to the proposal indicating they will use other funding to join SMARTSPEND’s activities and comment on early versions of its reports.