EWTEC2023 | 3rd – 7th September 2023 in Bilbao, Spain
The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) through the ‘Bilbao School of Engineering’, the first modern faculty of engineering in Spain, is delighted to be hosting the 15th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference on 3rd to 7th September 2023, and welcoming the wave and tidal community in the Basque Country, located in the western Pyrenees, straddling the border between France and Spain on the coast of the Bay of Biscay. The largest city is Bilbao, awarded in London with the “Best European City 2018” prize by the international academy of Urbanism, counts with a population of approximately 350,000 inhabitants. Direct flights are available from numerous destinations from major European and international cities throughout the world, with the largest Atlantic port of Southern Europe.
The conference will be hosted at the Paraninfo Hall of the University, an emblematic modern building of approximately 9,000 metre squared, close to both the IBERDROLA TOWER and the GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, designed by the laureated Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza, located in the centre of Bilbao within easy reach of public transport (metro, bus, tram, and taxi ranks within very short walking distances).
The commitment of the region to renewable offshore energy is already a real scenario which awaits a promising future after hosting ICOE 2010 in Bilbao and ICOE 2022 (San Sabastian). Supported by three main pillars -infrastructure, research, and training- it continues to grow and move in a sustainable way towards future changes in energy supplies. It is perfectly aligned with the Research and Innovation Strategy (RIS3) of the Basque Country with a specific priority area on wave energy, according to the Spanish Science and Technology plan. The Basque Government, through its Energy Agency (EVE) has been promoting ocean energy since 2004. Thus, in 2011, the first plant with unique characteristics in the world was launched, based on the use of wave energy through the construction of a new dike at Mutriku, which uses Oscillating Water Column (OWC) technology with 16 turbines and a total power of 300 kW. In 2016, the first floating wave energy device, was installed and connected to the grid at BIMEP (Biscay Marine Energy Platform).
Finally, it was also supported by the JRL-ORE (Joint Research Lab. on Offshore Renewable Energy), which counts on a number of national and international collaborative institutions such as universities, public administration, research centres, private companies and other associations, which have pledged their full support to this internationally renowned conference, so it would strongly contribute to the value chain in this strategic field.
We hope to see you all in Bilbao next EWTEC’23 !
