DECC launches project to assess marine power potential

The UK's fledgling marine energy industry received a major boost today with the launch of the first full Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to address the potential impact of wave and tidal energy farms.

The SEA, which will also analyse the environmental effects of storing captured CO2 under the sea bed and new offshore wind farms, will aim to ensure environmental concerns are addressed as the UK's offshore energy resources are developed.

Speaking at the Renewable UK Wave and Tidal Conference 2010, energy and climate change minister David Kidney said: "I am keen that we get as much of our energy as we can from home-grown sources, and our seas are a fantastic asset that can help us do this in a number of ways... by including wave and tidal in this assessment for the first time, we're laying the foundations for commercial deployment of these technologies."

The announcement was welcomed by Maria McCaffery, chief executive of RenewableUK, who predicted that marine energy could provide enough power for 1.4 million homes by 2020.

However, the trade group warned that the emerging industry will need further government backing if marine energy firms are to overcome commercial and technical barriers and get large-scale generators in the water.

"The SEA for offshore energy is a welcome initiative," said Peter Madigan, head of offshore renewables at the association. "However, there needs to be a greater awareness on the initial investment needs of this industry." The group is calling on the government to increase revenue support mechanisms for marine energy firms and invest £150m-£200m over the course of the next parliament to accelerate the rollout of wave and tidal technologies.

The launch of the SEA came on the same day as the South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) announced a 20-year research project to map the potential for renewable energy around the region's coast.

The agency has appointed renewable energy consultancy PMSS to lead the £100,000 study to examine the potential for wave, tidal and offshore wind installations up to 2030.

Claire Gibson, director of sustainable resources at the South West RDA, said the ability to select the right locations for commercial-scale installations was crucial to the development of the marine energy industry in the South West. " [The study] will provide data invaluable to the industry and will help ensure that marine renewables are given due consideration in future discussions about planning for the South West's marine environment," Gibson said.