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GLOBAL RENEWABLES ONLINE - APRIL 2012
TheCanadianRenewableOcean
Energy Accelerated Development
Initiative was laid out in 2006 with a
structured commitment to address
regulatory, market and strategic
research constraints, stating that
renewable wave, tidal and in-stream
energy will be contributing to a more
diversified renewable electricity
sector in the next five years.
These initiatives will ensure
that ocean energy is contributing to
at least 15GW in Canada’s 2050 low-
carbon future. Knight adds: “Our
roadmap for development states
that by 2050, we will achieve 15GW
of wave, tidal and in-stream energy.
Thisproductionwill beCanadian.We
are really trying to raise awareness
of the opportunities so that we can
open ourselves up to investment.”
Back in 2004, OREG put
forth ‘The Path Forward’, an action
plan and analysis of the state of
play in ocean energy, supporting
a call for enhanced research and
development in the field. Since this
time, the association has developed
a sector leadership initiative
with members across Canada,
the United States and Europe.
An interdepartmental Federal
Ocean Energy Working Group
was formed to respond to OREG’s
proposalsforafocusonoceanenergy.
In order to set a foundation for any
future government involvement
in ocean energy, the group has
subsequently initiated a number
of projects to look at Canada’s
resource strengths, its potential
for growth, the environmental
context of the industry, and
the state of its technology.
OREG went on to hold
meetings and workshops, including
a national symposium in 2005.
The association has entered into
S&T and policy reviews, carried
out research and analysis, and
entered into dialogue with other
industry sectors and the provinces.
‘
The Path Forward’ document
is intended to reach out from the
strategy used to launch OREG
in late 2004 and build on the
foundation that emerged from the
work of the Federal Ocean Energy
Working Group. It is a strategic
action plan, out of which the
Canadian Renewable Ocean Energy
Accelerated Development Initiative
was highlighted in a call to action.
It is OREG’s intent to draw
on potential partners to mobilize
programs and resources to build
the initiative needed to accelerate
ocean energy in Canada. The
broader action plan calls for these
same partners to work in what
will be a longer-term approach to
sustaining a Canadian role among
the international leaders in ocean
energy development. With this
document as a proposal for action,
it is the intent of OREG to ensure
that Canada takes the initiative
to capture these opportunities.
Knight says: “We’re in this
becausewebelieve there is incredible
potential. We want to work towards
that eventuality. We need a clear
articulation of what the renewable
energy industry will look like.”
OREG