"Turn marine renewables into a success story will demand much more than lowering costs"

On this occasion we interview Jose Mainez, Consultant Director of INSOLATIO, and with more than 13 years of experience working in integrative processes, inclusive systems and actions towards sustainability, energy efficiency and cooperation.

Why did you decide to set up a company so specialized in this sector?

Specific challenges in the marine sector demand of specific solutions that may have the potential to be transferred and benchmarked from other sectors of activity and areas of knowledge while focusing the specifics of the marine environment. That’s why we decided to create INSOLATIO.

And what do you think makes INSOLATIO special or different from other companies in the sector?

It is about using a systemic approach to integrative processes for change management. The structure of the information is what makes the difference as part of a broader understanding in the organization. In addition to the development of fractal models as a basic mechanism for this to happen while remaining simple. 

"ENERGY LIES AT THE BOTTOM OF ANY ACTIVITY"

Based on you experience, why is it necessary to invest in marine renewable energy?

There is a pressing need to gain momentum in responding to climate crisis by allocating capital in clean energy generation. At the same time the marine renewable energy sector will deeply contribute to upscale traditional areas of the marine activities by introducing related new technologies and information management (digital transformation). The fact that energy lies at the bottom of any activity in the broadest sense makes marine renewable energies investment a key driver to revitalise and empower capital returns in the full marine sector.

How do you see the world of renewable energy today?What do you think the sector needs to take off and increase investments in this area? How can its use and development be promoted?

While the large scale and the basic renewable energy models are well tested and deployed in most of the markets, there is an urgent need to keep defining, testing and upscaling those models that lie far from the traditional "generation-distribution-commertialisation-consumption" scheme. Tipically these new areas comprenhend social aspects (community approach); flexibility mechanisms (balancing and energy storage) and multiple energy sourcing (in the framework of the Green Recovery package, hydrogen as a new "distributor" impacting the overall energy system).

"HOW TO TURN MARINE RENEWABLES IN THE MED AREA INTO A SUCCESS STORY WILL DEMAND MUCH MORE THAN LOWERING COSTS OR RAISING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY."

Why has marine renewable energy not yet been implemented on a large scale in the Mediterranean Area? Is it because of cost or lack of efficiency?

Marine energy in the Mediterranean Area has not been implemented because it is a ""two seasides game"" not being played as a full Team by the majority of Med countries. How to turn marine renewables in the Med area into a success story will demand much more than lowering costs or raising operational efficiency. 

Marine renewable energy is a promising bridge among Med countries that is far from being implemented with a geostrategic perspective.

Do you think we could maintain our current lifestyle alone with renewable energy?

It is not a question of factibility but a question of when we will be able to maintain our lifestyle with RE´s generation. In that regard, it is a two ways road, on the one hand a continuous learning process related to better living by promoting more sustainable lifestyles and on the other side new energy models that better fit and facilitate more sustainable lifestyles.