The funding – announced during the minister’s visit to Pelamis Wave Power at Leith Docks in Edinburgh – will help will help progress the development of marine devices from the current large scale prototypes to bigger formations in the sea.
“Marine power has huge potential in the UK not just in contributing to a greener electricity supply and cutting emissions, but in supporting thousands of jobs in a sector worth a potential £15 billion to the economy to 2050,” commented Barker.
“Britain can be a world leader as we have decades of expertise in offshore industries and the most advanced devices are already being developed here. Our geography gives us access to rich marine resources which act as a natural laboratory to test and run devices in realistic conditions, especially in Scotland and the South West where innovative work is already being carried out.
“The money we’re announcing today will take marine power to the next stage of development in the UK and a step closer to being a real contender in the future energy market.”
The scheme is expected to open in spring next year and, subject to a value for money assessment, will support two projects to test prototypes in array formations – the final development stage in generating large scale electricity from marine power prior to commercial roll out.
Generating energy from the power of waves or tides has the potential to meet 15-20% of the UK’s current electricity demand by 2050 as well as helping to reduce emissions to fight climate change.
To help develop and commercialise wave and tidal technology, the UK has the most comprehensive marine energy support programme in the world. This provides help from the earliest stages of university research through to demonstration and roll-out under the Renewables Obligation.
The Government provides support across the sector with early-stage research and development funding for marine energy provided through the Research Councils’ SuperGen Marine programme. Later-stage technology development and demonstration funding is provided through various bodies, such as the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), the Carbon Trust and the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI).
Under the banded Renewables Obligation, wave and tidal technologies currently receive an enhanced level of ROCs for each MWh of eligible generation produced. A banding review is currently underway for ROC levels in the UK.
