Natural England - Marine renewable energy

Marine renewable energy

One of the Government’s key long-term goals for energy policy is to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050, with real progress by 2020.

Reductions in energy consumption, coupled with a real increase in renewable energy generation, are integral parts of achieving this aim. Government has set targets:

  • 20% of UK energy consumption to come from renewable sources by 2020;

  • cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20% on 1990 levels by the year 2020;

  • reduce national energy consumption by 20%.

Windfarms

By harnessing the wind to generate electricity, marine renewable developments will play a major role in helping the UK government to deliver its targets. Areas covering 1400 sq. km of seabed have been made available through two rounds of windfarm development, with a third announced in January 2010.

Six offshore windfarms have been built, which are generating 3.5 GW of renewable energy. There are a number of others either under construction or planned for the near future, to provide a further 5.5 GW of energy. Round 3 is set to deliver a massive 25GW of energy, with construction due to begin in 2014. (All figures from Crown Estates)

Wave and tidal energy

In addition to wind turbines, other marine renewable energy devices are designed to extract energy from waves or tidal streams and transfer it (usually in the form of electricity) to land.

  • Tidal power devices are beginning to be deployed with a small tidal current turbine near Lynmouth in Devon and a second tidal energy device being installed in the Humber. This follows the recent installation of the much larger 1.2MW Strangford Lough turbine (Northern Ireland).

  • There are currently very few practical wave devices in operation, with even the most advanced being still at the demonstration stage. Test site facilities for wave and tidal renewable energy devices include Orkney (European Marine Energy Centre) and Cornwall (Wave Hub).

Natural England’s role

Natural England supports marine renewable energy generation as part of a strategic approach to emissions reduction.

Natural England is working with all concerned, including through close and early engagement with developers and producing guidance, to ensure that marine renewable projects are designed and built in the right location and in the right way to avoid significant impacts on wildlife, natural features and landscape.

We aim to work with developers to identify solutions that avoid, reduce or compensate for potentially damaging impacts and aim to secure a sustainable development along with the appropriate protection of important habitats and species.

We are also interested in the potential benefit of offshore wind, wave and tidal energy farms to marine stewardship in general and specific issues such as marine protected areas.

Severn Barrage

Natural England is fully engaged with the government-led Severn Tidal Power Feasibility study. The study seeks to decide, in the context of the Government’s energy and climate change goals and the alternative options for achieving these, on what terms Government could support a tidal power scheme in the Severn Estuary.

The Severn Estuary is a unique and internationally important site with the second highest tidal range in the world and has internationally important populations of wintering birds, rare fish populations and important coastal habitats. It is internationally designated as a Special Protection Area, a candidate Special Area of Conservation and a Ramsar site.

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