Memorandum of Understanding signed between DMEC, EWA and Ocean Energy Association Japan

On October 26 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC), the Dutch Energy from Water Association (EWA) and the Ocean Energy Association Japan. Main objective of DMEC is to bring Dutch marine energy innovations closer to the international market and to contribute to the growth of sustainable marine energy.

By Synergos Communicatie, communication partner DMEC

The Offshore Energy conference set the stage for this official moment. At the Marine Energy Pavilion, powered by DMEC, a selection of innovative marine energy technologies, network organisations and knowledge institutes represent the Dutch marine energy sector during the international conference. The signing of the MoU forms a declaration of intent for collaboration between the Netherlands and Japan in the further development of marine energy technologies.

Cooperation between the Netherlands and Japan

Pieter Bergmeijer, director of Tidal Testing Centre (TTC) and lead partner of DMEC, emphasises the importance of a Dutch and Japanese cooperation in the field of marine energy. ''We are both very ambitious and this cooperation is of mutual interest for now and our common future'', says Bergmeijer. This vision is shared by Yasuyuki Ikegami, head of OTEC Division at Saga University, who signed the MoU on behalf of OEAJ. ''We are looking forward to bring the collaboration with the Netherlands to a higher level with this initiative'', says Ikegami.

Marine energy trade mission from Japan

The Japanese delegation is spending this week in the Netherlands as part of an incoming trade mission organised by DMEC together with MET-support, Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the Dutch Embassy in Tokyo. On Monday evening the Japanese delegation was welcomed by Cees Loggen, representative of the Province of North-Holland in the areas of water and Europe. Loggen: ''We are proud to support this collaboration between the Netherlands’ and Japanese marine energy sector''.

As part of the programme, the delegation visited the OTEC symposium and the Marine Energy Event at the Offshore Energy conference. During the Marine Energy Event DMEC was presented as well as the world potential maps for marine energy (created by NWP, DMEC and MET- support). These maps show an overview of high potential areas for different marine energy technologies worldwide.

About the Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC)

DMEC facilitates collaborations between all stakeholders involved in the Dutch marine energy sector and provides access to test facilities, knowledge and expertise, finance and international export markets. It is the single point of access to the Dutch marine energy sector and beyond.

Furthermore, the delegation visit some of the innovative Dutch marine energy companies and test facilities. Such as Tocardo, Fishflow Innovations, REDstack and the Tidal Testing Centre in Den Oever at the Afsluitdijk.

The incoming trade mission is an important step towards effective collaboration, where the Dutch and Japanese marine energy sectors strengthen each other. Ikegami, representative of the Japanese delegation, announced during the official signing moment a Marine Energy Mission from the Netherlands to Japan in 2017. The current mission is only the beginning of a close collaboration in the future.

These trade missions and signing of the MoU are great examples of how DMEC facilitates and stimulates internationalisation and export potential of the marine energy sector.