Weekly Intelligence Brief

South West RDA commissions £100,000 study

11 March 2010

A project to map offshore renewable energy potential around the coast of South West England has been announced.

The South West RDA (Regional Development Agency) has chosen renewable energy consultancy PMSS to lead the £100,000 study. It will examine the potential for wave, tidal and offshore wind installations up to 2030.

Claire Gibson, director of Sustainable Resources at the South West RDA, highlighted that the ability to deploy commercial installations is crucial to the development of the marine energy industry in the South West and this study will map the potential over the next 20 years.

The study will help ensure that marine renewables are given due consideration in future discussions about planning for the South West’s marine environment, said Gibson. This includes the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for marine energy confirmed by the government recently. The agency also shared that the study will also feed into the ongoing consultation about Marine Conservation Zones through the Finding Sanctuary project.

To its credit, PMSS is working on wave and tidal projects with companies such as Marine Current Turbines, Aquamarine Power, Atlantis Resources, Scottish Power Renewables and with the public sector.

Read more:

South West RDA: http://social.tidaltoday.com/search/node/South+West+RDA