The Fundación Puerto Las Palmas building hosted the AquaWind Showcase Event on June 6, 2025, a key day to present the progress of the European project AquaWind, which pioneers the combination of offshore wind energy and open-sea aquaculture.
The event was held as part of the European Maritime Days in my country 2025, an initiative by the European Commission that promotes local activities focused on the blue economy and the sustainable development of the marine environment. The day was organized by the Maritime Cluster of the Canary Islands, in collaboration with the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation and the Information Society (ACIISI) and the Economic Promotion Society of Gran Canaria (SPEGC), with the aim of advancing the development of business plans, sustainability strategies, and mechanisms for knowledge and innovation transfer among the participating entities.
Public Institutional Session
The first part of the event, open to the public, began at 09:00 and focused on presenting the regional context and project developments. The institutional welcome was given by Elba Bueno, Director of the Maritime Cluster of the Canary Islands, and Javier Franco Hormiga, Director of ACIISI—lead organisation of the AquaWind consortium. Hormiga emphasized that the project brings innovation to the islands and strengthens their position as a strategic hub in the development of the blue economy, leveraging their maritime heritage. He also highlighted that during their recent participation in the European Maritime Days (EMD), were he met with Mr. Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Ocean, the ambition for the Canary islands to host a future edition of the event since Canary Islands is fully aligned with the blue industry development as part of the Regional Smart Specialization Strategy (RIS 3) and the city of Las Palmas the Gran Canaria has all the necessary elements to host a meeting of this magnitude, as demonstrated by the success of FIMAR’s organization. Following this, Mª Delia Domínguez Montenegro discussed the benefits of investing in the Canary Islands through special economic zones like Canarias ZEC.
Javier Roo, R&D&I project responsible at ACIISI and coordinator of AQUAWIND, presented the main strategic objectives and the progress made so far. He highlighted the potential of the multipurpose offshore model integrating renewable energy and open-sea aquaculture. “We are at a decisive moment in the project, as we begin the final testing phase.” He also stressed that AquaWind offers a data-based and science-backed response to growing social concerns around offshore energy.
The institutional session concluded with a presentation by Juan Socorro, Director of the Maritime-Fisheries Vocational Training Institute of Las Palmas, who explained the importance of the Blue Dual Vocational Training model as a key tool for training the specialized talent required by the new productive ecosystem linked to the blue economy. “This model was launched in the 2018–2019 academic year to support the maritime sector in the Canary Islands by adapting educational content to technological advances and new professional demands,” said Socorro.
Private Technical Session for Investors
The second part of the event, held behind closed doors, was aimed at entities, investors, and professionals with a real interest in supporting the blue economy as a driver of innovation, economic development, and marine sustainability in the Canary Islands. This technical session aimed to create a strategic dialogue space around the investment opportunities offered by the multipurpose offshore model promoted by AquaWind and to facilitate direct contact between technology developers and potential partners or funders.
Carlos Navarro, Project Manager at PLOCAN, opened the session by presenting the main technical challenges of these types of infrastructures, as well as the opportunities they create to diversify the marine economy through integrated solutions that combine renewable energy with sustainable aquaculture.
Next, Pedro Mayorga (CEO of EnerOcean), Alex Fairtlough (Business Development Director at EnerOcean), and Javier Roo shared the progress of the prototype developed under AquaWind. They detailed its technical aspects, assessed its commercial viability, and shared scaling projections both nationally and internationally.
The session ended with an open Q&A, allowing attendees to raise questions, share perspectives, and explore potential collaborations—consolidating the event as an effective platform to bring technological innovation closer to key players in the marine business and finance sectors.
Participation in FIMAR 2025
At the close of the day, participants were invited to attend the official opening of FIMAR 2025, the International Sea Fair—a benchmark regional event for the nautical and marine-maritime sectors of the Canary Islands. The fair took place at the iconic Muelle Sanapú, near the Poema del Mar aquarium and the Onda Atlántica walkway. It is promoted by the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and the Port Authority of Las Palmas and organised by Infecar Feria de Gran Canaria and Ciudad de Mar.
FIMAR 2025 aimed to provide companies in the sector with a specialised event to boost and energise the blue economy through a combination of commercial exhibitions, technical programmes, scientific outreach, and activities related to the marine-maritime environment. This edition established itself as a key platform for companies and professionals while also raising public awareness of the blue ecosystem and the sustainability challenges connected to the sea.
The AquaWind project had its own space within the Maritime Cluster of the Canary Islands’ stand, where it offered outreach and interactive activities for all audiences. Over the weekend, visitors could take part in educational games and raffles, immersive digital experiences, and learn about how this pioneering European initiative is helping to transform the future of the sea from the islands—through the integration of floating wind energy and sustainable aquaculture.
AquaWind: a driving force for innovation and sustainability in the blue economy
The AquaWind Showcase Event served as a milestone to highlight the transformative potential of marine renewable energy and sustainable aquaculture in the Canary Islands. The initiative brought together institutional representatives, technical experts, investors, and citizens and demonstrated how the multipurpose offshore model promoted by AquaWind is not only technically feasible but also a real opportunity for economic diversification, technological development, and environmental sustainability in the marine environment.
From regional strategic analysis and concrete prototype progress to direct public engagement at FIMAR 2025, the event showcased the value of collaboration between public administrations, businesses, research centres, and civil society in advancing toward a stronger and more resilient blue economy.
AquaWind thus consolidates itself as a flagship European initiative that, from the Canary Islands, offers innovative solutions to address the challenges of climate change and food supply—while generating new economic opportunities in harmony with the marine environment.
The AquaWind project is co-funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101077600. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
