The Scottish Government's independent advisory body on sustainable development
Scotland streaming ahead
News release: 1st October 2007
Report shows Scotland is a world leader in tidal stream technology but the Government must stay the course
 | • Report shows Scotland is leading the way |
The Sustainable Development Commission’s comprehensive report, Tidal Power in the UK assesses the potential for the UK of both types of tidal power: tidal stream and tidal range. Tidal stream uses the energy contained in fast-flowing tidal currents generally found in constrained channels, whereas tidal range technology harnesses the water movement in estuaries with large differences between high and low tides – their tidal range.
Emerging tidal stream technologies present exciting opportunities for low carbon energy production, and the report cites potentially huge rewards in terms of the export potential of this new technology.
The Commission found that success so far in Scotland is due to the ingenuity and perseverance of the device developers, combined with the commitment shown to date by the UK and Scottish Governments.
The availability of testing facilities at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney has been key to the development of the industry. Stakeholders believe additional funding would help EMEC offer a wider range of services such as the certification of devices, baseline environmental data, and an expanded marine energy research role, to develop the industry more quickly.
The Commission concludes that Government should ‘stay the course’ to make tidal stream technology a viable proposition, whilst putting in place a robust regulatory framework and supporting the research required to understand potential environmental impacts.
Commissioner Hugh Raven said:
"Scotland is currently a world leader in the development of a wide spectrum of tidal stream devices and has huge potential for this new industry - both in its contribution to UK electricity supply, and to future exports and therefore jobs.
"However, the Commission is very concerned that lack of capacity in the national grid may prevent future tidal stream generation.
"There is a regrettable absence of long-term, innovative thinking on the part of Ofgem and the Government on the solutions to this constraint, which threatens particularly development of tidal stream power in the north of Scotland - an area with some of the best tidal resources in the world."
The Commission recommends:
• the Government should ‘stay the course’ in supporting new tidal stream technologies in the UK
• Innovation funding in the UK must rise, with a commitment to support the development of tidal stream devices at every stage of the innovation chain
• the Government should consider the potential for EMEC to become a tidal stream development and research hub to build on the success of this resource
• Ofgem and Government must urgently and actively manage the transmission system to enable increased access onto the national grid, to accommodate renewables over the short and long term
The Commission believes amending Ofgem’s Primary Duty to include consideration of the carbon impact of energy generation, will help the future development of this fledgling industry.
To find out more about » our work on tidal power and download the full report
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