Ocean Energy Europe aims to foster growth in the ocean energy sector through its annual conference and exhibition, which has been running for over ten years.
Ocean energy europe’s (OEE) mission is to create a supportive environment for the ocean energy industry to grow and thrive. Over 120 organisations, including Europe’s leading utilities, industrialists and research institutes, trust us to represent the interests of Europe’s ocean energy sector, making it the largest network of ocean energy professionals in the world.
We are working closely with our members and partners to support technological innovation, improve access to funding, and build a strong and resilient community. One of our main tools to achieve this goal is our annual Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition, which has been running for over ten years and is one of the most important events for the ocean energy sector.
Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition 2023: A successful ten-year celebration
The 2023 edition of the OEE annual event took place in the Hague on 25 and 26 October. It marked the ten year anniversary of the Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition and became one of the most successful OEE events to date.
The packed conference programme brought together high-level speakers from across the world and covered topics ranging from the latest developments of ocean energy’s flagship projects and innovative technologies to economic opportunities and funding. Anyone involved in the ocean energy sector could learn something new and gain insight into the direction the sector was taking.
On the exhibition side, we introduced new and improved fully branded stands made from reusable and recyclable materials. This gave the entire event a fresh and modern look, guaranteeing that our exhibitors look their best while staying true to our sustainability values. Our exhibition is the place to meet, connect, raise your profile and do business, and the 2023 edition was no exception.
Over a third of our attendees are C-suite executives, being visible on the OEE exhibition floor means being visible to the people who are building the ocean energy sector. In 2023, ocean energy attracted an unprecedented level of attention from big industrial and energy players, and it was reflected at our event with a lot of new faces and new deals being signed.
To facilitate this process, the OEE2023 Conference & Exhibition also included a new online networking platform. Attendees were prompted to set up an online profile, find potential partners, clients and investors, and book meetings with them in advance. Over 100 B2B meetings between leaders of the ocean energy industry took place thanks to this new feature.
Finally, and for the first time ever, the 2023 OEE Conference & Exhibition included free activities for the general public. Our members brought their ocean energy devices, real machines which have been tested in real sea conditions, to a public square in the Hague next to the conference venue. In addition, we organised an ocean energy photo exhibition in a public part of the venue to show ocean energy devices in the water and explain how the different technologies work.
Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition 2024: Back to the home of ocean energy
This year’s edition, dubbed OEE2024, will take place on 5 and 6 November in Aviemore, Scotland. The choice of venue is never arbitrary: This year, the conference returns to Scotland, going to the Scottish Highlands. Scotland and its Highlands & Islands have long been at the forefront of ocean energy. Home to some of the world’s most important ocean energy resources and some of the most successful ocean energy technologies, it is the perfect location for the sector to come together for OEE2024.
We are delighted to be able to host such a large international event in the heart of Scotland. The OEE annual conference boasts attendees from all over the world, with 30 countries from 6 continents represented at the 2023 edition. The 2024 conference programme will capitalise on Scotland’s ocean energy leadership and the sector’s quick growth towards large-scale array deployments to focus on industrialisation and how we can build strong supply chains.
Speakers have previously included national Ministers and European Commissioners, as well as CEOs, CFOs, decision-makers, and stakeholders from all corners of the ocean energy sector: developers, supply chain, investors and national and regional governments, to name a few.
This year’s exhibition already promises to be memorable. Stand sales opened in late April, and several of the lead ocean energy technology developers have already booked their spots. In addition to our high-level exhibitors, OEE members will once again bring their devices to the exhibition as part of our ocean energy Tech Trail. To date, four full-scale pieces of ocean energy technology have been confirmed, with more to come in the next few months.
The official programme of the conference will be published in May, along with the registration opening. Registrants will be able to access the online event platform, start networking and book meetings with other attendees. We will also announce several side activities that will take place before, during and after the event itself. We’re keeping the surprise for now, but these will let attendees go more in depth into specific topics, meet their peers in a more relaxed setting or discover the Highlands and make the most of their time in Scotland.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 18th edition of our quarterly publication.
