The minister for energy and climate change, Greg Barker, has announced plans for the first of a series of marine energy parks which is to be based along the coastline between Cornwall and Bristol. The South West Marine Energy Park (SWMEP) will be the UK’s first designated zone for the development of marine technology including wave, tidal range, tidal currents and offshore wind. It is expected to bring significant investment to the region creating thousands of jobs over the coming years.                                                                           

A prospectus for the park has been developed by Cornwall County Council and their partners; Plymouth City Council, Regen SW, Plymouth University and Cornwall Development Company. This acts as a detailed reference tool outlining the assets and resources specific to SWMEP that will be on offer to the marine energy industry.  It also clarifies the strategic role of Local Enterprise Partnerships in achieving marine energy commercialisation and local jobs. Read the full prospectus here.

Potential

The government has estimated that the park has potential to provide between 150 and 300MW of marine energy by 2020 whilst contributing £15bn to the economy by 2050.

Last year the government reinforced its support for marine energy by upping the level of incentive from Renewable Obligations Certificates (ROCs) to 5 per MWh, the highest of any technology and providing £20m of investment in prototypes.

SWMEP is expected to be followed by marine energy parks in Scotland (Pentland Firth and the Orkney Islands). The parks are aimed to take advantage of the UK’s natural resources and put the country at the forefront of the new global marine energy industry.