SeaGen revels in ROC award

The UK's fledgling marine energy industry has received a major vote of confidence this week with the news that Ofgem is to issue the first Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROC) to a working marine energy project.

Renewable energy specialist Marine Current Turbines (MCT) announced that its SeaGen system, which was deployed in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough in May 2008, has been approved to receive ROCs under the government's Renewables Obligation subsidy mechanism.

Under the rules of the scheme, the 1.2MW twin turbine tidal energy system will be issued with two ROCs for each MWh it generates. MCT will be able to then sell the ROCs in addition to the energy the system generates for up to 1,000 homes, further bolstering financial returns from the project in the process.

Martin Wright, Managing Director of MCT hailed the award of ROCs as a significant step forward for the UK marine energy industry that would ensure the SeaGen system is "officially recognised as a commercial power station".

However, he warned that while the system was now working well following initial teething problems, serious concerns remained about the marine energy sector's ability to attract new investment.

"The current investment climate is the worst in living memory and following the announcement to increase the ROC multiple to 2 for offshore wind, there is effectively no market to pull marine energy forward," he said, adding that the onus was on the government to increase support for the fledgling sector as part of its forthcoming Renewable Energy Strategy Review.

"If [the government does not act], there is a significant risk that tidal power will suffer the same fate that befell the British wind industry: no home-grown manufacturing and engineering jobs," he warned.