The Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP) is an infrastructure operating in real sea conditions for the research, demonstration and deployment of marine energy harvesting devices. Opened in July 2015, BiMEP is operated by the public company BIMEP S.A. and owned by the Basque Energy Agency (EVE) and the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE).

The aim of this infrastructure is to enable technology developers in the field of marine renewable energy to install and test equipment, systems and subsystems.

Main features

It supports the testing and demonstration of wave energy harvesting devices, offshore wind turbines, prototype floating foundation platforms for offshore wind turbines, and prototype deep-water fixed foundations for offshore wind turbines, as well as the testing of ancillary equipment and subsystems.

It is located in a 5.3 km2 restricted navigation area in the open sea with perimeter beaconing provided by seven nautical marker buoys. The devices installed in the test area are connected to the shore by four submarine power cables equipped with fibre optics with a total capacity of 20 MW. The facility has a transformer substation and electrical infrastructure with grid connection. The facility also features a 24-hour navigation support system, an oceanographic buoy that has been measuring data since 2008, and technical management offices.