A Comprehensive Report: EU Policy on Marine Renewable Energy

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the European Union's (EU) policy on marine renewable energy, often referred to as 'blue energy.' The EU has been a leader in developing ocean energy technologies, particularly wave and tidal energy, with a significant portion of global developers and infrastructure located within its member states. The report outlines the EU's strategic roadmap, objectives, and the two-phase implementation plan initiated by the European Commission, including the establishment of a forum for ocean energy stakeholders. It emphasizes the EU's commitment to sustainability, energy security, and competitiveness, aligning with its targets for reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. The report highlights the EU's investment in research and development, the growing capacity of ocean energy projects, and the anticipated contributions to climate change mitigation. Furthermore, the report compares ocean energy's emission levels with other renewable and non-renewable sources, emphasizing its potential to contribute to a sustainable economy and environmental protection. The report also mentions the EU's role in setting an example for other nations to follow in adopting green energy policies.

Running head: EUROPEAN UNION POLICY ON MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY
European Union Policy on Marine Renewable Energy
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EUROPEAN UNION POLICY ON MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY 1
European Union Policy on Marine Renewable Energy
The EU (European Union) has been at the forefront of developing ocean energy
technology in its blue energy policy execution all over the European Union nations. It has
already hosted approximately 45% of the developers of wave energy and 50% of tidal energy.
The policy has seen the region deploy majority of the ocean energy infrastructure like test
centers for ocean energy and deployment sites all over European waters. Towards its support for
the development and growth of the ocean energy industry, the European commission by 2014
launched the blue energy communication policy1. The commission also set up a framework to
develop an uptake of technologies of ocean energy by 20202. The framework involves laying an
implementation plan of two phases that was initiated by the creation of a forum for ocean energy.
The forum involved a platform that brought together, actors and stakeholders of ocean energy to
deliberate on major issues in the sector and identify possible solutions. The primary output of
the forum involves feeding the development of strategic roadmap that defined targets for
developing the energy industry and a realistic timeframe for its execution. From 2017-2020 the
second phase of this action plan was expected to foresee the EII (European industrial initiative)
creation for ocean energy as implemented by the other renewable energy sectors like wind3.
1 Qiu, Wanfei, and Peter JS Jones. "The emerging policy landscape for marine spatial planning in
Europe." Marine Policy 39 (2013): 182-190.
2 Alexander, Karen A., Ron Janssen, Gustavo Arciniegas, Timothy G. O'Higgins, Tessa
Eikelboom, and Thomas A. Wilding. "Interactive marine spatial planning: siting tidal energy
arrays around the Mull of Kintyre." PLoS One 7, no. 1 (2012): e30031.
3 Meiner, Andrus. "Integrated maritime policy for the European Union—consolidating coastal
and marine information to support maritime spatial planning." Journal of Coastal
Conservation 14, no. 1 (2010): 1-11.

EUROPEAN UNION POLICY ON MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY 2
The commission’s policy presents three core objectives on energy supply such as
sustainability, security and the competitiveness of EU in the international market. The ocean
energy sector that is fast-growing in the region could help EU member countries to achieve the
targets of carbon and greenhouse gases of 20% in 2020 or (80-95) % in 20504. Europe has been
leading in ocean energy industry since 1980s with the private sector investing substantially in the
sector. The plan began with key contributions by funding research in technologies of renewable
energy. After reaching more than 10 megawatts from the sector, the capacity of Europe has been
noted to be double that achieved by China of 4.5 megawatts5. Canada and South Korea have each
0.25 megawatts6. The capacity in Europe is growing fast from the 4.2 megawatts four years ago7.
At the moment the new approved projects in the whole plan have over 20 megawatts that await
installation8. The EU-OEA (European union-ocean energy association) which has brought all
industry players in the sector together has a strong belief that the generation of 100 megawatts in
2050 is realistic9.
The ocean energy policy is a green and sustainable renewable energy source plan whose
impact is reducing climatic change owing to the increased release of carbon and other
4 Portman, Michelle. "Involving the public in the impact assessment of offshore renewable
energy facilities." Marine Policy 33, no. 2 (2009): 332-338.
5 Busch, Malte, Andreas Kannen, Stefan Garthe, and Mark Jessopp. "Consequences of a
cumulative perspective on marine environmental impacts: offshore wind farming and seabirds at
North Sea scale in context of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive." Ocean & Coastal
Management 71 (2013): 213-224.
6 Freire-Gibb, Lucio Carlos, Rebecca Koss, Piotr Margonski, and Nadia Papadopoulou.
"Governance strengths and weaknesses to implement the marine strategy framework directive in
European waters." Marine Policy 44 (2014): 172-178.
7 Ounanian, Kristen, Alyne Delaney, Jesper Raakjær, and Paulina Ramirez-Monsalve. "On
unequal footing: stakeholder perspectives on the marine strategy framework directive as a
mechanism of the ecosystem-based approach to marine management." Marine Policy 36, no. 3
(2012): 658-666.
8 Qiu, and Peter, 182-190.
9 Alexander, Ron Janssen, Timothy, Tessa and Thomas, 30031.

EUROPEAN UNION POLICY ON MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY 3
greenhouse gases10. As is a known fact, when these gases get released to the atmosphere from the
use of fossil fuel or relevant non-renewable sources of energy, they affect the ozone layer that
traps harmful rays from the sun from reaching the earth. These gases affect the ozone layer and
global warming that is experienced from the leaking of the rays leads to climate change in
affected areas. In this case, European Union tries making a step ahead of others in preventing this
condition by targeting the renewable sources of energy. So far the production of wind energy in
the region has been achieved and now the focus goes to tidal and wave energy sources which
together form what is called blue energy. This form of energy will lead to a sustainable economy
in the region which is aimed towards the protection of environment and climatic change
mitigation11.
Compared to the other renewable energy sources such as wind, nuclear and solar energy,
the ocean energy is expected to lower the emissions to less than 15gCO2eKWh12. This is far less
compared to the 23gCO2eKWh by wind and 42gCO2eKWh and 23gCO2eKWh from nuclear and
wind energies respectfully13. This shows that the plan by EU is worth the effort. It is clear that
the future of energy production is expected to be turn completely green and sustainable if the
other major countries in the world come up with a policy as good as that from the European
commission.
From the analysis it clear that the European Union region wishes to act as a role model as
far as the green energy and sustainable economy is concerned. This means the other nations need
to get this example and stop depending coal as the main source of energy whose carbon emission
footprint is 109gCO2eKWh. When this is done the European Union members and the whole
10 Portman, 332-338.
11 Freire-Gibb, Rebecca Piotr and Nadia, 172-178.
12 Busch, Andreas Stefan and Mark, 213-224.
13 Ounanian, Alyne, Jesper and Paulina, 658-666.

EUROPEAN UNION POLICY ON MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY 4
world will achieve a carbon emission of 2gCO2eKWh beyond 2050. Climate change mitigation
will no longer be an issue to discuss about anymore.
Bibliography

EUROPEAN UNION POLICY ON MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY 5
Alexander, Karen A., Ron Janssen, Gustavo Arciniegas, Timothy G. O'Higgins, Tessa
Eikelboom, and Thomas A. Wilding. "Interactive marine spatial planning: siting tidal
energy arrays around the Mull of Kintyre." PLoS One 7, no. 1 (2012): e30031.
Busch, Malte, Andreas Kannen, Stefan Garthe, and Mark Jessopp. "Consequences of a
cumulative perspective on marine environmental impacts: offshore wind farming and
seabirds at North Sea scale in context of the EU Marine Strategy Framework
Directive." Ocean & Coastal Management 71 (2013): 213-224.
Freire-Gibb, Lucio Carlos, Rebecca Koss, Piotr Margonski, and Nadia Papadopoulou.
"Governance strengths and weaknesses to implement the marine strategy framework
directive in European waters." Marine Policy 44 (2014): 172-178.
Meiner, Andrus. "Integrated maritime policy for the European Union—consolidating coastal and
marine information to support maritime spatial planning." Journal of Coastal
Conservation 14, no. 1 (2010): 1-11.
Ounanian, Kristen, Alyne Delaney, Jesper Raakjær, and Paulina Ramirez-Monsalve. "On
unequal footing: stakeholder perspectives on the marine strategy framework directive as a
mechanism of the ecosystem-based approach to marine management." Marine Policy 36,
no. 3 (2012): 658-666.
Portman, Michelle. "Involving the public in the impact assessment of offshore renewable energy
facilities." Marine Policy 33, no. 2 (2009): 332-338.
Qiu, Wanfei, and Peter JS Jones. "The emerging policy landscape for marine spatial planning in
Europe." Marine Policy 39 (2013): 182-190.