Massachusetts Renewable Energy Center Ocean Energy Workforce Development Summit The European/Irish Experience 4 th May 2012 Cathy O’Connor First Secretary.

Massachusetts Renewable Energy Center

Ocean Energy Workforce Development Summit

The European/Irish Experience

4th May 2012

Cathy O’ConnorFirst SecretaryICT, Energy and ScienceEmbassy of Ireland

Towards European industrial leadership in Ocean Energy in 2020

A driver of job creation and economic growth • Potentially 26,000 direct EU jobs from ocean energy in 2020; potentially 314,000

direct EU jobs from ocean energy in 2050.• The creation of new opportunities in European coastal communities. • A global market for equipment manufacturing and technology development.

A route to achieving the EU’s renewable energy targets • The potential to satisfy 15% of EU energy demand in 2050. • Avoiding 136 MT/MWh of CO2 emissions in 2050.

 Maximizing the value and security of renewable energy portfolios • Ocean energy can diversify and enhance the security of renewable electricity

portfolios incorporating large-scale wind energy. • Ocean energy can maximize the value from developments already in place for the

offshore wind industry: infrastructure, supply chain, grid connections and understanding of environmental impacts.

Alignment between EU and the IEA’s International Vision for Ocean Energy • A common goal to increase international collaboration to accelerate the

development and deployment of ocean energy systems. • The opportunity for further cooperation to deliver economic growth through ocean

energy development.

UK Energy Minister Charles Hendry, EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger, Ireland’s Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte and

Scotland’s Energy Minister Fergus Ewing at Energy Council in November

Ireland’s Economic Study

€9 billion economic benefit by 2020 • There is currently sound quantitative evidence that by 2030 a fully

developed island of Ireland ocean energy sector providing a home market and feeding a global market for renewable energy could produce a total Net Present Value (NPV) of around €9 billion and many thousands of jobs to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Irish economies.

Over 1,400 jobs by 2020 reaching 50,000 by 2030 • It is possible that an island of Ireland wave energy industry

meeting the 500MW 2020 target could produce at least 1,431 additional FTE jobs and an NPV of €0.25bn, increasing to 17,000-52,000 FTE jobs and an NPV of between €4-10bn by 2030. This is dependent upon achieving sufficient technology learning rates - most likely encouraged and maintained initially through a form of capital and/or operational subsidy.

Preparing the Irish Workforce

Government Agencies Pioneered the Vision

• Marine Institute and SEAI (Sustainable energy Authority of Ireland)

• University College Cork HMRC/Tony Lewis www.hmrc.ucc.ie

• Charles Parson Initiative CPI• Higher Education Authority • IMERC

www.imerc.ie

IMERC Vision

“To become a research and commercial cluster of world standing, by realising Ireland’s potential in the global, maritime and energy markets

of tomorrow”.

IMERC Unique Selling Points

University College Cork• Beaufort Laboratory , Worlds largest marine renewable

energy research centre– Hydraulics and Maritime Research Centre– Coastal & Marine Resources Centre– Sustainable Energy Research Group

Irish Naval Service• “to be the smartest, most innovative, responsive naval

service provider in the world by 2016”

Cork Institute of Technology• National Maritime College of Ireland – domain experts

includes the world’s largest suite of bridge simulators

mart Ocean Energy Cluster• ICT and Oceants – ask PH for slide from last

night.

IMERC Fact File

Human capital

•1,100 INS personnel, 60 researchers, 50 domain experts, 20 faculty, 20 PhD students

Infra-structure

•Wave test tanks, bridge, flood, fire & engine simulators, naval dockyard, jetties, PTO labs

Industry•29 industry R&D collaborators from June 10 -June 11

Enablers

•€46million in research awards and 175 journal publications in the past 5 years

•MERC MoA March 2010

MARINE ENERGY

SHIPPING, LOGISTICS, TRANSPORT

MARITIME SECURITY & SAFETY

MARINE RECREATION

Ocean Engineering

Maritime Operations

Ecosystem Governance

Enabling Maritime Technologies

Balancing fundamental with applied and industry led researchMERC focus – Innovation & Commercialisation

NMCI

Naval Base

IMERC Campus

Beaufort Laboratory

Conclusion