SPOTLIGHT ON THE NETHERLANDS
FEATURE SPONSOR
The Delta Works on the Eastern Scheldt: until now the primary aim has been storm-surge protection; in the future it could be power generation too.
DUTCH MARINE ENERGY AIMS TO CREATE A NEW GOLDEN AGE
From 14th century dikes to 20th century megastructures, The Netherlands has more experience in managing the power of the sea than any other country. Now its marine innovators are using this expertise to integrate ocean energy technology with water-management infrastructure
It’s a distinctly Dutch approach with global potential: harnessing the power of the sea while managing it too. It could prove a double win: managing rising sea levels while reducing fossil-fuel dependence.
MUCH TO OFFER
The Netherlands may be relatively unknown in the world of ocean energy, but the country’s innovators believe it has much to offer. For one thing, while much of the interest elsewhere is on offshore and deepwater wave power, the focus in the Netherlands is close to home.
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www.wavetidalenergynetwork.co.uk
“If you look at the kinds of devices that are being developed by the Dutch wave power industry, the focus is on low-head, near- shore locations,” explained Piet Ackermans, Chairman of the EWA, the trade organisation for the Dutch ocean energy industry. “In the Netherlands, we try to optimise devices for low head and low velocities.”
The other major difference between the Netherlands and elsewhere lies in the country’s focus on combining power generation with storm-surge protection. This is a logical extension of the
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