The port city of Vigo (Spain) has marked a milestone on the road to a sustainable blue economy, driven by the energy transition with the holding of the flagship workshop “Ports as gateways and hubs for energy transition: potential energy sources and prototype analysis” involving industry, academics and public sector actors.
This meeting served to promote a coordinated strategy in the Atlantic area, where the port areas of four Atlantic countries (Ireland, Portugal, Spain and France) are accelerating their energy and digital transition processes.
The experts explored the opportunities of the energy transition in the maritime sector and focused on how ports can play a key role in this crucial change in their spheres of influence. Facing both regulatory and technological challenges, the workshop highlighted the urgent need for alternatives to fossil fuels and the development of innovative prototypes.
PLOCAN actively participated in the event, highlighting the role of testsites in the development of technologies, business models, adaptation of legislation or study of environmental effects, among others. In this sense, PLOCAN provides an essential testing ground for new technologies, accelerating their path to market. By testing and improving marine energy solutions in a controlled environment, these test beds are making a difference in our quest for a cleaner and greener future.
The results of the workshop were very fruitful: new R&D&I proposals for the Atlantic area emerged and new partnerships were forged. This event marked a substantial step forward on the road to the blue economy and demonstrates the commitment of Spain and the EU in driving the energy transition in the maritime sector.
In addition to its direct impact, the workshop also had a great outreach through the various promotions carried out on social media and newsletters by the Port of Vigo and the Spanish Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture. This ensured that the valuable ideas and innovative solutions discussed at the workshop reached a wider audience.
This event was another step towards a sustainable future in the Atlantic area. A future in which our seas and oceans can be more sustainable, cleaner and healthier and where ports can play a greater leadership role in the energy transition, supporting and working together with test sites such as PLOCAN in driving the forefront of technological innovation.
