European Commission Finances Renewable Energy Projects

The Commission has awarded over €1.2 billion to 23 innovative renewable energy technology (RES) projects.

The projects cover a wide range of renewable energy technologies from bioenergy (including advanced biofuels), concentrated solar power and geothermal power to wind power, ocean energy and distributed renewable management (smart grids). The projects will be hosted in 16 EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Offshore projects supported include:

France Wind VertiMED
The project comprises a floating offshore 26 MW wind farm located 50 km from Marseille. Thirteen wind turbines will be installed on 13 moored floating structures which will transfer power to an onshore substation connected to the grid.

United Kingdom Ocean Kyle Rhea
An array of tidal turbines with a nominal capacity of 8 MWe will be built in the narrow strait between the Isle of Skye and the Scottish mainland. The project consists of four tidal energy twin rotor turbines, each one rated at 2MWe, and is based on a significant scaling up of the operational test turbine, which has a three-year track record in Northern Ireland.

United Kingdom Ocean Sound of Islay
An array of ten 1 MWe grid-connected tidal current turbines will be installed in deep water in the Sound of Islay off the west coast of Scotland. The tidal turbine technology will have a 3-bladed, seabed mounted design to deliver the overall net capacity of 10 MWe.

Ireland Ocean West Wave
A project located off the west coast of Ireland plans to demonstrate the potential of scaling up wave energy. Six wave energy capture devices will be placed at a depth of 15 metres. A prototype has already been tested at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney. The results of recent design changes and tests of an improved 800 kW design will feed into the final design, installation and operation of the project.

Germany Wind Innogy
The German Bight, 40 km north of Juist Island in the North Sea, is the location for an innovative offshore wind power project comprising 54 wind turbine generators with an overall capacity of 332 MW. A meteorological measurement mast (met mast) at the project site will monitor wind resources and conditions.

Germany Wind Veja Mate I
Located in the North Sea, north west of Borkum in the German "Exclusive Economic Zone" (EEZ), the project comprises the design, construction and operation of an offshore wind farm with a total capacity of 208 MW. It will consist of 32 turbines of 6.5MW some 90 km from the coast. The power generated will feed into an onshore grid.

Portugal Wind Windfloat
Five floating wind turbines with an overall capacity of 27 MW will be built some 14 km offshore from the coastline of Portugal. The Project will be built and installed in two stages. The first stage will consist of two WindFloat support structures and two 3 MW offshore wind turbines. The second stage will consist of three WindFloat support structures and three 7 MW offshore wind turbines.