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The UK Government yesterday outlined its strategy for the development of marine energy, which it says could generate enough power for 15 million homes and save 70 million tonnes of CO₂ by 2050.

The Marine Energy Action Plan, which has been drawn up in collaboration with industry, lays out key recommendations for pushing forward with all forms of marine energy.

The UK should create a strategic coordination group to draw up a roadmap for the planning and deployment of marine energy and establish guidelines for best practice, recommends the plan.

Support for marine energy also needs to be looked at, from the existing Renewables Obligation, through to targeted funding for development of marine projects to leveraging private investment.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, Minister of State for Energy, launched the plan on a visit to Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, where the world’s first operation commercial-scale tidal stream turbine, the 1.2 MW SeaGen, has been deployed.

“This Action Plan sets out our vision for what marine energy can do for the UK and what we need to do to make it happen,” he said.

The plan will bring Government and industry together to “build a new, world-leading energy generation sector in the UK”, which could lead to the creation of up to 16,000 jobs.

Lord Hunt also announced the formation of a Ministerial Task Force to bring together key players to implement the plan.

The South West Regional Development Agency (RDA), which has invested heavily in marine energy in recent years, has welcomed the news.

“This action plan reiterates the Government’s commitment to the marine energy sector and builds on the activity we have been pioneering in South West England,” says Claire Gibson.

The region was designated a Low Carbon Economic Area for marine energy by the Government last year and recently announced a £100,000 project to map potential offshore renewable energy around the coast of South West England.

For further information:
www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/energy_mix/renewable/explained/wave_tidal/funding/marine_action_/marine_action_.aspx
www.southwestrda.org.uk
www.seageneration.co.uk/

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New wave in marine energy projects (3-Feb)
Construction to start on UK’s marine energy project (12-Nov 2009)
South west England’s marine energy effort gets £1.2 million boost (30-Oct 2009)
UK Government opens £22 million fund for marine energy (23-Sept 2009)
South West England receives £10.3 million boost to marine energy (7-Jul 2009)