With more than 20 years of experience in renewable energy and over two decades dedicated to offshore and marine energy, Fiona Buckley is a Senior Expert and Senior Project Manager at ENGIE Laborelec. She also chairs the European Technology and Innovation Platform for Ocean Energy (ETIP Ocean) and is ENGIE’s leading expert in marine energy.
Since 2010, Fiona has been actively involved in R&D and EU-funded marine energy projects. Her work covers wave, tidal, ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), seawater air conditioning (SWAC), and osmotic power. She has been involved in projects across Europe, Brazil, Chile, and Asia.
Fiona has been ENGIE’s Marine Energy Single Point of Contact since 2012. She has also served as an Independent Expert for the European Commission on marine and offshore energy since 2016. In the same year, she joined the ETIP Ocean Steering Committee, becoming its Chair in 2017.
A recognized advocate for ocean energy, Fiona regularly speaks at international marine and offshore energy events. Through ENGIE and ETIP Ocean, she has also contributed to shaping the sector’s strategic vision. Her work brings together technical, industrial, and policy stakeholders to help accelerate the development and commercialization of ocean energy.
Receiving the award, Fiona Buckley reflected on her journey in ocean energy: “When ENGIE first asked me to look at a tidal turbine, I never imagined that it would lead to receiving the Vi Maris Award. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with extraordinary people around the world who share a passion for advancing marine and offshore renewable energy. Marine energy has always required persistence, creativity and optimism, and I am honored to receive this award as a recognition of the collective efforts of a community that continues to push the boundaries of innovation. As offshore renewables continue to expand, I believe the coming years offer tremendous opportunities for offshore and marine energy to contribute to a resilient, low-carbon energy system.”
Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe, said in his laudation: “You don’t create something complex and innovative without exceptional people. The Vi Maris has been rewarding some of those people over the years. Fiona’s expertise and dedication to our industry made her a perfect awardee for the Vi Maris. It has been a pleasure to work with and learn from her over the years. I hope for many more, as the ocean energy sector matures into a mainstream electricity provider.”
The Vi Maris Award has been presented annually since 2019. Previous recipients include Guillaume Gréau of HydroQuest (2025), Henry Jeffrey of the University of Edinburgh (2024), Tony Lewis of Ocean Energy Ireland (2023), Britta Schaffmeister of DMEC (2022), Jochen Weilepp of the University of Applied Sciences Biberach (2021), Jason Hayman, then of Sustainable Marine (2020), and Sue Barr of the UK Marine Energy Council (2019).
The award ceremony rounded off ICOE OEE 2026, which brought together more than 500 ocean energy professionals from around the world in The Hague from October 5–7. Jointly organized by the International Energy Agency’s Ocean Energy Systems (IEA-OES) and Ocean Energy Europe, with the Dutch Energy from Water Association (EWA) as local host, the three-day conference featured more than 35 sessions, side events, an international exhibition, and site visits showcasing the latest developments in ocean energy technology, projects, and policy.
