The Campus Auga in Ourense is hosting these days the launch of the initiative led by CIM
Since Wednesday, the Ourense campus has been hosting the launch event of the AWESDI project (Atlantic Wave Energy Sustainable Deployment Initiative), a transnational initiative coordinated by the Marine Research Centre (CIM) of the University of Vigo that aims to promote the sustainable deployment of wave energy systems in the Atlantic area, specifically along the coasts of Spain, Portugal, France and Ireland. The initiative seeks to develop solutions in this field that are “not only technically viable, but also commercially feasible, socially inclusive and environmentally friendly.”
With a total budget of €2.45 million, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg Atlantic Area programme, AWESDI is led from the Ourense campus by the EphysLab (Environmental Physics Laboratory) group and will run from 2026 to 2028 with the participation of 12 partners from the European Atlantic arc, including universities, research institutes, public agencies, industrial clusters and innovative SMEs. The consortium includes entities such as Université Le Havre Normandie (France), the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (Portugal), the industrial cluster Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique (France), the Marine Institute (Ireland), Atlantic Technological University–Killybegs Marine Cluster (Ireland), the technology company GEPS Techno (France), EW Portugal–Wave Energy Solutions (Portugal), the Galician Energy Institute (Inega), the Fisheries and Shellfish Foundation (Fundamar), Bretagne Développement Innovation (France) and the MaREI research centre at University College Cork (Ireland).
At the meeting in Ourense, held at Campus Auga, AWESDI partners are addressing the roadmap for each work package for the coming months, scientific and technological objectives, management and monitoring systems, as well as communication and knowledge transfer actions. “This meeting marks the starting point of a key international collaboration to promote innovative solutions in the field of marine renewable energy, reinforcing the role of European and Atlantic cooperation in the transition towards a more sustainable energy model,” the project organisers state.
Driving innovative solutions
Regarding the importance of the project, AWESDI highlights that the great potential of wave energy in Galicia and across the Atlantic region faces common barriers to development, such as fragmented regulatory frameworks, infrastructure limitations and challenges in public acceptance. However, wave energy offers a higher power density than offshore wind and solar, allowing more energy to be generated with less space, and shows lower variability and greater predictability, meaning it can complement these sources and contribute to a more stable electricity grid.
The project’s principal investigator, EphysLab researcher Moncho Gómez Gesteira, notes that “wave energy is currently at an intermediate level of technological development, with devices tested in relevant environments but still far from full commercialisation.” Within this framework, one of AWESDI’s main objectives is to boost this type of energy in the North Atlantic region through a comprehensive and coordinated approach, combining research, technological innovation and sustainable development. To achieve this, the project will establish a strategic framework of key stakeholders to gather, organise and exchange the knowledge required for harmonised implementation, making use of existing capacities, infrastructures and expertise in the region. In addition, an open knowledge system on wave energy will be created, bringing together scientific, technical and regulatory data and developing a holistic assessment methodology capable of identifying the most promising sites for wave energy systems, while evaluating their socio-economic and environmental impacts in an integrated way. The initiative will also implement pilot projects in collaboration with innovative SMEs, both offshore and onshore, designed to demonstrate the feasibility of new technologies and solutions adapted to the needs of coastal communities.
AWESDI will also promote technology and knowledge transfer, public awareness and capacity building, ensuring the effective adoption of the developed strategies. As a final outcome, the project will produce a joint roadmap for the sustainable deployment of wave energy in the European Atlantic, including technical, regulatory and socio-economic recommendations, as well as specific exploitation strategies depending on technology and location. “All of this will help accelerate the creation of a cohesive, scalable and innovative wave energy market, contributing to sustainable development and a just energy transition in the North Atlantic region,” the initiative states.
CIM holds the CIGUS recognition awarded by the Xunta de Galicia, certifying the quality and impact of its research, and its activity is co-funded by the European Union through the ERDF 2021–2027 programme.
Source: DUVI
