Reflections from EWTEC 2025: Latest Updates on Wave and Tidal Energy Research and Development
- Elaine Sherriffs
- Sep 23
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 8
Earlier this month, the Blackfish Engineering team attended the 16th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference (EWTEC 2025) in Madeira, Portugal. The event gathered over 800 delegates from more than 35 countries, making it one of the most internationally diverse ocean energy forums to date. The programme featured contributions from 30+ academic institutions across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, alongside leading developers, test centres, and engineering firms. The conference delivered over 300 peer-reviewed papers, spanning device archetypes, modelling, O&M, and Blue Economy applications. For Blackfish, it was both an opportunity to present our work and to engage with the global community - strengthening connections that will shape the development and commercialisation of wave and tidal technologies.
Experiencing Madeira’s Environment
Amidst the conference sessions, the team took time to experience Madeira’s remarkable environment. Marcus Oliver Gay, our Director of Commercial Strategy, explored underwater lava flows and vibrant marine ecosystems, witnessing first-hand the natural habitats that our work ultimately seeks to protect. Operations Director Tim Warren hiked around Funchal’s peaks, discovering landscapes and plant life that reinforced the importance of environmental stewardship. These experiences reminded us that the technologies we design and develop serve to safeguard and enhance the ecosystems that inspire our work.
Sharing Blackfish’s Structured Approach To Reducing Risk and Increasing Investor Confidence through Verification and Validation
Tim Warren presented a technical paper titled “The Use of a Structured Verification and Validation Strategy in the Development of the C-Dart Quick Connection Mooring System.” The presentation showcased how Blackfish applies a rigorous verification and validation (V&V) framework, combining iterative prototyping, validated numerical modelling, and offshore trials to reduce risk, accelerate development, and ensure technologies are practical and scalable.
Tim highlighted that structured engineering, alongside robust V&V processes, is increasingly recognised across the sector as a key method to build investor confidence and move technologies beyond the lab. This alignment between Blackfish’s approach and wider sector priorities reinforces the relevance of our services for developers navigating early-stage device validation and commercialisation.
Wave Energy: Insights and Opportunities
The wave energy sector continues to innovate across diverse device types. Unlike wind, which quickly coalesced around the three-bladed turbine, wave technologies remain varied, from point absorbers and pendulums to oscillating water columns and cyclorotors.
Several key takeaways have emerged:
Standards as enablers of finance: Early alignment with IEC 62600 and IECRE pathways can reduce financing costs and enhance investor confidence, providing a clear route to translating technical compliance into bankable outcomes.
Energy-per-tonne KPI: This emerging metric, highlighted by CorPower Ocean and referenced by several academic groups, measures device energy output relative to structural mass. It offers a transparent early-stage benchmark for comparing devices, guiding design improvements, supporting FEED studies, O&M planning, and informed client discussions.
Operations and maintenance designed in from the start: Quick-connect moorings, modular PTOs, and digital twins are increasingly embedded at the design stage, ensuring maintainability and reducing operational risk.
Hybrid and heterogeneous arrays: Combining wave, wind, and solar—or mixing device types—can lower LCOE by up to 40% and improve energy reliability, adding system-level value.
Blue Economy applications: Near-term markets such as aquaculture, island energy systems, and floating PV installations are showing promise and may present early market opportunities while larger grid-scale deployments are being de-risked and scaled. For example, aquaculture could reduce reliance on diesel power, with integrated solutions helping simplify deployment and operation for end users.
Integration remains the bottleneck: Grid connection and transmission capacity, rather than resource availability, continue to limit deployment.
These insights highlight the value of designing practical, maintainable, and scalable wave energy solutions that reduce risk for developers while supporting long-term, cost-effective deployment.
Tidal Energy: Insights and Opportunities
Tidal energy continues to demonstrate strong potential, with innovation driven by both academic and industrial partnerships. Several trends are shaping the sector:
Collaboration with research institutions: Leading universities and test facilities are developing tidal turbine prototypes, testing rigs, and validation platforms. Developers gain early insights into next-generation devices, supporting informed decision-making and de-risked project development.
Operational guidance and standards: Alignment with tidal-specific standards, combined with early consideration of maintainability, can reduce technical risk and enhance investor confidence.
O&M-by-design: Modular turbine designs, accessible components, and predictive maintenance strategies are increasingly incorporated at the design stage, improving reliability and lowering long-term operational costs.
System-level integration: Combining tidal devices with complementary energy systems or advanced monitoring technologies can improve energy reliability and provide early adopters with operational insights and potential competitive advantages.
These insights highlight the value of designing maintainable, scalable tidal energy solutions that reduce project risk while supporting long-term, cost-effective deployment.
Beyond the Conference Hall
EWTEC offered inspiration beyond the conference sessions. These experiences in Madeira’s natural environment served as a reminder that marine renewable energy is ultimately about protecting and responsibly using our natural resources.
Looking Ahead
EWTEC 2025 emphasised the importance of combining technical rigour with collaboration and creativity. The wave and tidal sectors are steadily progressing toward commercial scale, but successful deployment requires careful engineering, operational foresight, and strong partnerships.
For Blackfish, the conference confirmed that our structured, whole-system engineering approach is closely aligned with sector needs. We are well-positioned to support innovators and developers, particularly within EU-funded projects, where the demand for practical, de-risked engineering expertise is high.
📩If you are developing a wave or tidal energy project, we would love to explore how Blackfish can accelerate your development. From concept design through verification, validation, and operational planning, our engineering services help technologies reach market faster and with greater confidence.
How Blackfish can accelerate your time to market
At Blackfish Engineering, we understand the complexities and challenges involved in technology R&D and innovation projects. Our comprehensive V&V services are designed to help you navigate these challenges with confidence. By partnering with us, you can leverage our expertise to ensure that your projects are not only innovative but also reliable, cost-effective, and market-ready.
If you are a technology developer or investor we invite you to reach out to us. Let us help you accelerate your time to market, reduce costs, and increase investor confidence through our tailored V&V solutions.
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