Government plugs £4.5m marine energy project

Plans for an ambitious, deep-sea electricity generation plant, sited in the waters 10 miles off the Cornish coast, moved a step closer today with the announcement of a significant funding boost from the DTI's Marine Renewables Deployment Fund.

While yet to be given the final go-ahead, the Wave Hub scheme spearheaded by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA), will act as a giant extension cable connecting up to four innovative wave energy devices to the national grid.

The Government has pledged that if the green light is given to the project it will provide the South West RDA with almost a quarter of the estimated £20 million it will cost to get the Hub into the water and connected to the mainland via an underwater cable that will come ashore at Hayle, Cornwall.

The Minister for Energy Malcolm Wicks said: "As an island nation the UK has an invaluable resource in terms of marine energy and we are leading the world in developing the infrastructure to harness the power of the seas.

"We said in the Energy Review that we will be consulting later this year on how we can make the production of marine energy under the Renewables Obligation more valuable for developers but we have again underlined the Government's ongoing commitment with the injection of up to £4.5 million into the Wave Hub.

"The project has still to get through a robust consent process before getting into the water, and to finalise the device developers who will connect to it. But if successful, it will be a shining example of UK innovation that could provide three per cent of Cornwall's electricity needs. That is up 20 MW of renewable and secure emission free energy powering 7,500 homes."

Jane Henderson, Chief Executive of the South West of England Regional Development Agency, added: "Today's announcement is another significant milestone for the Wave Hub project and recognises the important contribution it will make to the development of marine renewable energy, not just in South West England but in the UK as a whole. We are now awaiting the outcome of our consents application. If that is granted, we expect Wave Hub to come into operation in 2008."

The consultation period on the Wave Hub is due to end on 1 September and a decision is expected by the end of the year.

(SP)