An alliance promoted by Basque women scientists has been created to show the public the potential of marine renewables
- TECNALIA, UPV/EHU, EUSKAMPUS FUNDAZIOA and BCAM Basque Center for Applied Mathematics have launched ORE4citizens, a full programme of free activities for all ages to tell the public about science through marine renewable energy.
- The initiative is backed by more than 15 organisations and companies in the sector: they plan to carry out trips to the high seas, experiments in centres and schools and a researchers’ night in Portugalete
Bilbao, 16 July 2024. ORE4citizens is an alliance promoted by Basque women scientists which has been joined by more than 60 researchers and 15 Basque organisations with the aim of telling the public about science and the effects of climate change on the Basque coast, and showing the key role played by marine renewable energy in the fight against global warming. The initiative also aims to highlight the global leadership of the Basque industry in the sector and the opportunity it offers society and the planet.
The initiative is led by TECNALIA, the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Euskampus Fundazioa and BCAM - Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, funded by the European Union as part of the Horizon Europe Programme for research and innovation, and backed by many entities in the sector such as Arrecife Energy Systems, BIMEP, the Basque Energy Cluster, Basque Energy Board, the Basque Government, Iberdrola, Idom, Nautilus, Saitec, Sener, Siemens Gamesa, Port of Bilbao, Ocean Energy Europe and WindEurope.
The initiative includes activities for citizens and schools that will take place over two years across the Basque Country. One of the activities is OREgaua, which will be held on the afternoon of 27 September in the Nautika Itsasgunea building of the University of the Basque Country (Bilbao School of Engineering), in Portugalete, with live music, games, talks and experiments for all ages.
And a programme for schools, OREskolak, where researchers will share science in the classrooms with talks, experimental activities and visits to laboratories and facilities where these technological solutions for harnessing marine energy are developed.
Marine renewable energy in the Basque Country
Climate change poses significant challenges on the Basque coast, both in terms of physical impact on the environment and socio-economic impact on coastal communities. It is important to take measures to adapt to these changes and mitigate the effects of climate change in the region.
The development and deployment of marine renewable energy helps to mitigate these effects and is one of the keys to energy transition in the medium and long term on a global level due to its generation potential. Renewable energy is also an industrial, economic and social opportunity for the Basque Country, compatible with the protection of the marine environment.
It is a key sector for the EU’s decarbonisation targets and is expected to grow five-fold by 2030 and 25-fold by 2050. Today, teams such as SAITEC, Nautilus and Arrecife are working to develop new, economically viable and energy-efficient technologies that globally competitive. Some of these projects can be seen on the initiative’s website or in the travelling photographic exhibition that will be on display at various locations in the near future.
