Wind and Wave Power as a New Investment Horizon of the Marine Economy

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This paper analyses offshore wind and wave energy as strategic investment assets within the Blue Economy framework.  It examines technological maturity, investment dynamics, governance challenges and infrastructure requirements.

Offshore Wind and Wave Energy (OWE/WEC) represent a transformative investment horizon for the marine economy, driven by global decarbonisation imperatives and the commitment to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030. This paper examines the evolving investment landscape of offshore wind and wave energy within the framework of the Blue Economy, with particular attention to cost dynamics, technological maturity, grid infrastructure requirements and spatial governance challenges. Using qualitative policy and market analysis supported by secondary data from international energy agencies and financial institutions, the study evaluates the role of Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) in unlocking deep-water resources and assesses wave energy’s contribution to system resilience through its comparatively stable generation profile. The findings indicate that offshore wind has reached commercial competitiveness following a substantial reduction in levelised cost of energy, while wave energy, though at an earlier stage of development, offers high growth potential and strategic value for grid stability. The paper further demonstrates that large-scale deployment of OWE depends on coordinated investment in offshore grid infrastructure, meshed transmission systems and effective Maritime Spatial Planning to mitigate non-technical risks. The analysis concludes that offshore wind and wave energy constitute a central pillar of the Blue Economy, offering a long-term, resilient investment horizon for institutional capital aligned with sustainable economic growth.