UK wave and tidal technology industry receives £7m boost 28 July 2010

Some 35 British firms and universities are to get £7 million, from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, to develop wave and tidal energy technologies.

The investment was allocated through a collaborative research and development funding competition designed to support innovation that will lead to the cost effective exploitation of UK and global wave and tidal stream resources.

Nine R&D projects will focus on driving down the cost of energy while also improving the reliability and performance of wave and tidal stream energy devices. Some of the projects will also look to enhance the performance of existing devices.

The TSB expects researchers to focus on everything from improving the reliability and performance of tidal turbine blades to advancing new devices for use in deep water locations.

Energy Minister Charles Hendry, visiting Marine Current Turbines' SeaGen project in Northern Ireland today, said: "Wave and tidal stream technologies have the potential to supply millions of homes with low carbon energy – reducing our dependency on foreign energy imports and cutting dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.

"The UK has world-class engineering and offshore expertise and skills. These nine projects will drive forward the development of these technologies. They will help produce the innovations needed to bring down costs of marine energy, and improve performance to allow marine technologies to take their rightful place as part of a secure, low carbon system in the future."

Brian Tinham

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