European wave and tidal energy installations reached nearly 40MW in 2018 according to figures published by Ocean Energy Europe.
Tidal stream installations reached 26.8MW and wave energy installations 11.3MW last year, according to the study, with Europe continuing to lead deployments.
Last year tidal projects in Europe produced record volumes of electricity.
The research found that other parts of the world, especially Canada and China, are catching up. Tidal power installations outside Europe jumped from zero in 2015 to a total of 6.7MW between 2016 and 2018.
While Europe still dominates global wave energy installations, the US is becoming a strong contender with significant financial incentives and plans for pilot sites, said the report.
To stay out in front and get projects over the line, the European sector needs revenue support at national level, advised Ocean Energy Europe.
The group’s chief executive Remi Gruet said: “The power, and learnings, produced by ocean energy technologies in recent years clearly show that it is possible to generate large quantities of electricity from the sea."
What we now need to reach industrialisation is revenue support, just like other renewables, and indeed fossil fuels, have also received.
Tidal stream technology is now proving itself as a reliable and predictable source of energy.
After a decade of steadily increasing generation, power production has increased in the past two years.
According to the report since 2013 Europe’s tidal stream generators have produced 34 gigawatt-hours of electricity. The latest wave energy projects to hit the water are proving that these devices are surviving well in harsh conditions, paving the way for larger, more powerful versions in 2019.
The statistics were compiled by Ocean Energy Europe using data gathered from the ocean energy industry.
Source:renews
