2021 Commercialisation Strategy for Marine Energy
Call to Accelerate Commercialization
Marine energy technologies are experiencing rapid innovation. Deployment of these technologies at scale will create benefit by:
• Increasing localized economic development opportunities.
• Creating thousands of high-value jobs.
• Promoting exports in technology manufacturing and related services.
However, without a unified focus on accelerating commercialization, these benefits will be delayed, if recognized at all.
The abundant potential to develop marine energy is stunning. Harnessing waves, tides, currents, and even thermal gradients, could technically produce more than
half of all the nation’s electricity needs. Demonstration projects and research over the past decade, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Navy, show that innovative marine energy technologies could be the missing link for meeting our nation’s clean energy goals and decarbonising our electricity grid.
What’s more, these technologies complement wind and solar technologies. As these variable renewables play an increasing role in the electricity mix, marine energy
resources have the potential to prove particularly valuable to future energy markets.
What’s needed now is a commitment—by both the marine energy industry and by Government—to accelerate commercialization of these technologies
The US National Hydropower and Marine Energy Council have released their new Strategy to encourage a greater investment within the Marine Energy sector.Marine energy offers the opportunity to provide lower cost power while dramatically reducing harmful emissions.
These resources offer significant near-term promise for widely distributed, previously underserved, or
economically distressed waterfront communities. Marine energy can give these localities control over their power
supply, increase grid reliability and security, dramatically reduce harmful emissions, and help achieve climate
change goals. Marine energy technologies will also facilitate off-grid “Blue Economy” market opportunities
