BiMEP and TECNALIA strengthen their alliance

Since the early exploration phase of the open-sea testing facility for offshore renewable energy prototypes, BiMEP and TECNALIA have been closely involved in its implementation. They have jointly progressed in developing their own capabilities and have collaborated on several R&D initiatives. BiMEP and TECNALIA share future strategies and objectives to stimulate the development of offshore renewable energy in the Basque Country and the consolidation of an industrial and knowledge sector in this field, aligned with the Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) of the Basque Government in the field of the energy, also called EnergiBasque.

Therefore, BiMEP and TECNALIA have decided to strengthen their relationship by signing a collaboration agreement, which will foster synergies and promote joint actions that maximise their respective capabilities. The ultimate goal of this collaboration is to provide advanced solutions to accelerate the deployment of offshore renewable energy and to put the Basque Country at the forefront of these technologies.

One of the main aspects necessary to achieve this objective is the standardisation and certification of tests for wave energy converters, floating wind turbines and other marine energy-related technologies. For this, BiMEP and TECNALIA will launch an ambitious R&D programme in this field, based on a joint positioning in national and international fora.

BiMEP (Biscay Marine Energy Platform) is a public company of the Basque Energy Board (EVE) and partly owned by the Spanish Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy IDAE (EVE 91%, IDAE 9%), that has set up an open sea infrastructure for testing and demonstrating marine energy devices in order to accelerate technological development until reaching a commercial phase. BiMEP’s main objective is to serve as a site for testing marine energy prototypes in order to demonstrate their technical and economic feasibility, as well as their safety before moving to a large-scale commercial stage.