About the project:

UNITED will enable the large scale installation of the multi-uses of marine space through the development of pilots in real environment elaborating on the five pillars: its technical, regulatory, economic, social and environmental viability It will demonstrate the benefits of the multi-use of marine space concept for multiple economic activities. Optimal multi-use concepts and co-location activities will be implemented in five pilots across European regional seas in close cooperation of local stakeholders and industrial actors. UNITED will enhance the technology readiness level of the technology validated in relevant environment (TRL5) to demonstration in an operational state (TRL 7+), handling difficulties and offering solutions at the five pillars to promote the economic benefits for key industrial actors, highlighting the sectors renewable energy, aquaculture, and tourism.

Objectives
The overall objective of UNITED is to provide evidence of the viability of multi-use by the development of largescale pilots that showcase the translation of technical, regulatory, economic, social and environmental solutions from the development state (TRL5) to demonstration in an operational environment (TRL7). The pilots will demonstrate the benefits of the multi-use of a marine space, that the development of multi-use platforms or colocation of different activities in a marine and ocean space is a viable approach (economically, socially and environmentally) for European maritime industry and that they can operate sustainably in (healthy) local ecosystems while supporting, safe, socially accepted viable businesses. This involves both the technology development and field validation to address the identified risks and barriers. UNITED will include a business plan and a commercial economic feasibility assessment (informed by the pilots’ results), addressing possible trade-offs and costs for other sectors, for the combined activities to generate revenue.

Use cases/verticals
UNITED involves 5 pilot studies, each combining a minimum of two activities listed in the call through a multi-use platform or via the co-location of services and infrastructure. UNITED will demonstrate the synergies between tourism, two types of renewable energies (Wind and floating solar), aquaculture, bio-resources, environmental restoration, tourism and maritime transport.

WINGS involvement

WINGS in UNITED will exploit its experience and expertise mainly to: (1) design the UNITED’s framework of a multi-use demonstrator that would provide optimised spatial configuration/arrangement and placement of various components, together with the required monitoring and management technologies and (2) support the Greek pilot’s functionalities in orchestrating combined (1) aquaculture, (2) touristic maritime and (3) underwater diving activities.
WINGS prospects /exploitation
WINGS will investigate the exploitation of results of UNITED for commercial purposes. WINGS will target to act as solution owner, creation of a cooperative spin-off company will also considered to support the continuity and scaling up of the solution.

Awards & demonstration video
TBA

Website:https://www.h2020united.eu/
Framework: H2020
Duration: 01.2020 – 06.2023

This project has received funding from the Horizon 2020 programme under grant agreement No 862915