Does that include wave and tidal energy?
Yes. These are probably Britain’s best bet long-term. Britain is thought to have some of the best conditions for wave and tidal generation in the world and is also the world leader in marine power technology. There are currently about 40 marine energy projects around the world but the technologies are still in their infancy and they suffer from a chronic shortage of funds. Three companies – Scottish Power, Portuguese utility Enersis and UK company Ocean Prospect – are soon to trial a wave-generating device at the newly-opened European Marine Energy Centre in Scotland, but it is likely to be years before the technology can be commercialised. The government recently announced it will provide a further £50m to fund investment into wave and tidal power, but experts say this is not nearly enough.
