A sector-wide message grounded in practice
From Offshore Proof, led by Campus@Sea, we see every day how difficult it still is for innovative offshore renewable energy technologies to move from prototype to large-scale deployment. To help change that, Campus@Sea joined MARIN, Buccaneer, NWP and DMEC in co-signing a letter drafted by the Dutch Energy from Water Association (EWA) to the Dutch coalition negotiators. The letter urges the new government to recognise energy from water – including wave, tidal, offshore solar, offshore storage and Blue Energy – as a strategic pillar in the national energy and industrial strategy.
On his way to the mail room of the House of Representatives, Peter Scheijgrond happened to run into Minister Jetten and was able to hand over the letter in person.
For Offshore Proof, this is not an abstract policy exercise. The challenges described in the letter are the same ones our project addresses: fragmented permitting, lack of dedicated test and demonstration space at sea, uncertainty around long-term support, and the need for better system integration of offshore renewables.
How the Joint Action Plan feeds into the debate
One of Offshore Proof’s activities is the development of a Joint Action Plan for the adoption of innovative offshore renewable energy technologies across North-West Europe. Together with partners and stakeholders in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, we are mapping out concrete steps to overcome barriers around nature inclusivity, regulation, finance and technological integration, and to provide a clear roadmap for regions and test sites.
This Joint Action Plan is more than a technical document. It bundles key messages, arguments and analyses that can be used in meetings with policymakers, regulators and investors. The same evidence base and stakeholder input also inform the recommendations now put forward in the EWA letter – for example on regulatory sandboxes at sea, clearer permitting pathways, and smarter support for demonstration projects.
From test sites to tomorrow’s energy system
By linking the Offshore Proof Joint Action Plan to the message of the EWA letter, Campus@Sea wants to make sure that decisions taken in The Hague are grounded in real projects and real constraints at sea. The goal is clear: accelerate the deployment of innovative offshore renewable energy, reduce risks for developers and investors, and help build an energy system that is cleaner, more reliable and more affordable – with the North Sea and coastal regions as living laboratories for the future.
