UK: Wave Energy Would Flounder without Support from Government

West Cornwall MP Andrew George today congratulated the Government on its support for the marine renewable sector but urged Ministers to step up support for wave energy, including the West Cornwall Wave Hub located off the North Coast of his constituency.

In the Commons this morning Mr George asked Green Energy Minister, Greg Barker MP, to meet with him and industry representatives to discuss ways to drive forward the wave energy industry, and the Wave Hub.

Mr George said: “The sea is a fantastic source of free energy if the Government can give the wave energy sector the boost it needs to properly trial commercial scale devices at the only commercial scale site in the world.

“This is an ambitious project but the long term dividends for energy security, the UK economy and the environment are massive. When we have a potential clean green source of power and the infrastructure to exploit it through Cornwall’s Wave Hub, it’s important to have full Ministerial backing to help the industry evolve. It could make a massive contribution to the UK’s commitment to cut carbon emissions and boost jobs in the green economy.”

This intervention by Andrew George MP was welcomed by Claire Gibson, the Wave Hub general manager: “We are grateful to Andrew George for raising this issue with the Minister as the wave energy industry is keen to explore what potential support may be available to accelerate its commercialisation given the recent Government support announced for the tidal sector. We have offered to help Andrew pull together a representative industry group that can meet with the Minister and brief him about some of the challenges the industry faces, and to suggest some potential solutions.”

The official record of today’s debate can be found here.

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Press release, March 14, 2013; Image: Wave Hub