Pillar 3: Marine Renewable Energy

Pillar 3: Marine Renewable Energy

Kerrie SHEEHAN | Head of Research and Technology Department in Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)

Biography:

Kerrie has over 17 years’ experience in the management of EU and National funded research of which 9 years have been in the sustainable energy field, and the most recent 5 specifically on offshore/ocean. The roles have been in central university functions, within research performing units and as National funder, covering programmatic management, finance and governance.  She holds a BA in Mathematics and Geography, a Master’s in Environmental Public Policy and is an FCCA accountant.

Kerrie is currently Head of Research and Technology Department in Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The SEAI Research & Technology Department coordinates Ireland’s energy research funding programme, National Contact Point for EU Horizon Europe, and technology areas of offshore/ocean, onshore electricity/wind and renewable heat. Kerrie oversees the SEAI offshore/ocean team, which supports ORE National test sites, research funding, delivering Interreg and H2020 research performing projects, and undertaking national coordination of policy makers, industry and researchers. Kerrie is active across a number of National and EU coordination committees and initiatives, such as currently developing a TRL 7-9 demonstration site in the Atlantic, off Co. Mayo, steering committee member of the EU SET-Plan & Ocean Energy Europe, coordinating OceanSET (H2020), OPIN (Interreg) and participating on Oceanera-NET and AFLOWT.

Pillar Coordinator between 2020-2022 

Olatz Ajuria ASTOBIZA  | Project Manager, EVE – Basque Energy Agency

Biography:

Chemical Engineer from the University of the Basque Country and graduated in European Master’s in Project Management. She has been working in EVE for more than 14 years in areas such as Renewable Energy, International and Studies and Energy Planning for Local Councils. Olatz is currently working as Marine Energy Project Manager. The type of activities in which she is involved are diverse: Elaboration of the Ocean Energy Plan for the Basque Country 2021-2024, bringing together the administration, the industry and academia through the Wave Energy Basque Country working group, management of the Mutriku Wave Power Plant, member of the team that designs BiMEP infrastructure’s strategy at technical and dissemination levels, participation in the organization of events such as Bilbao Marine Energy Week.

At international level she is coordinating the CPMR - Atlantic Arc Commissions’ working group on Marine Renewable Energies. The most relevant projects in which she is currently involved are: EuropeWave - Bridging the gap to commercialisation of wave energy technology using pre-commercial procurement, Marinet 2, Oceanera-net COFUND, OceanSET, OPERA.


Pillar 3: Marine Renewable Energy

The main objective of pillar III is “The promotion of carbon neutrality through marine renewable energy”. To achieve that objective, the proposed actions are the following:

► Set specific deployment objectives for marine renewable energy in the Atlantic regions taking into account their environmental impacts

► Define best sites for marine renewable energy farms (including offshore wind) and adjacent ports across the Atlantic, taking into account potential impacts on the marine environment

► Implement incentives for deployment of innovative renewable energy installations

► Pool together different marine renewable energy initiatives covering the EU Atlantic area, based on the philosophy and furthering the objectives of the Strategic Energy Technology plan (SET plan)

► Develop public awareness using appropriate communication tools on marine renewable energy in the Atlantic

► Strengthen cooperation in the European ocean energy community

► Develop a specific ocean energy framework for EU islands in the Atlantic​


Roadmap summary: