UK SLIPS TO 3rd IN MARINE ENERGY TABLE

The UK, with the world’s greatest Tidal Stream and Tidal Range assets, the second best range of high energy Wave patterns and also second best  sustained off shore Wind patterns has slipped to third in the Marine Energy Table (  OES 2015 annual report) and soon to slip a long way further as Canada, China, along with India and many other countries such as the Philippines, Portugal, etc, move towards a long term Low Carbon future.

The UK big problem? short term political terms in office with the need to make long term national energy strategy plans for the good of the country , not just the political party, to solve the UK's lack of a secure low carbon energy supply which will take boldness and imagination.

Nuclear Power future upgrades are hugely expensive as being proposed, coal is no longer mined in the UK, the majority of oil and gas is imported along with coal, much of the remaining North Sea supply is being bought up by foreign powers. Fracking, the UK governments only present option for a secure national energy supply is unproven in UK soil, would be also licensed to overseas companies, this without the issue being a fossil fuel and certainly not low carbon.

The power grids would need to be nationalised over time, areas of UK territorial water would need to be designated for Marine Power use etc ( still a great deal cheaper than HS2 ).

Working with the fishing industry and North Sea Oil & Gas industry to install, supply and protect this ME system would greatly boost these industries as well as many others in the UK.


A personal view  from


Paul Hales

Director

Hales Water Turbines Ltd