DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
AND CLIMATE CHANGE News Release (2009/040) issued by COI News
Distribution Service on 2 April 2009
A new £500,000
fund will be launched today to help environmental entrepreneurs
and small businesses develop their ideas to generate electricity
from the River Severn's tidal power.
Energy and Climate Change Minister Mike O'Brien and Welsh
Assembly Government Environment Minister Jane Davidson today
announced details of the Severn Embryonic Technologies Scheme to
further develop proposals like tidal reefs and fences and other
potential ideas.
The fund will open to bidders today, when Ministers meet to
discuss it with potential applicants in Bristol.
The tides in the Severn estuary are among the highest in the
world and have the potential to deliver some 5% of the UK's
electricity from a domestic, low carbon and sustainable source.
A public consultation is underway on a proposed shortlist of
schemes to generate clean, green electricity from the power of the
tides in the Severn estuary. The shortlist includes a mixture of
barrages and lagoon schemes. The Government has made clear it
will consider the progress of embryonic technologies before any
decisions are taken on whether to support a Severn tidal power scheme.
The £500,000 scheme is being managed by the Department of Energy
and Climate Change, the Welsh Assembly Government, Defra, and the
South West of England Regional Development Agency.
Energy and Climate Change Minister, Mike O'Brien said:
"This funding will help us understand the potential of these
emerging ideas and whether, and how long, we would have to wait
for them to come to fruition.
"The Severn estuary has massive potential to help achieve
our climate change and renewable energy targets. So far our
consultation on a proposed shortlist of five schemes has received
over 400 responses.
"As well as this shortlist, I am keen to keep innovative
options on the table. That's why we are inviting companies to
bid for a share of the funds to accelerate progress."
Welsh Assembly Government Environment, Sustainability and Housing
Minister Jane Davidson said:
"I am pleased that the Welsh Assembly Government is working
with other government departments to lead the global research on
embryonic tidal technologies while making progress with the second
phase of the feasibility study into Severn Tidal Power options.
"Our hope is that that some of these new technologies will
show promise for harnessing tidal energy with minimal
environmental impact, in the Severn Estuary or elsewhere around
our coast. The potential benefits could be shared across the world.
"They could help reduce our carbon footprint, improve our
energy security and create green jobs. We want to encourage
companies involved with marine technology to apply for access to
this fund to help demonstrate the potential of innovative technologies."
Huw Irranca-Davies, Minister for the Natural and Marine
Environment, said:
"Many of the impacts of climate change will be felt by
nature and if we fail to act then the effects on the environment
and wildlife, including the birds and animals of the Severn
Estuary, could be very serious.
"But we need to make the shift to renewable energy in a way
which takes account of the impacts on wildlife and the local
environment, which is why this initiative will play an important
part in deciding the best way forward."
Claire Gibson, Director of Sustainable Resources at the South
West RDA, said:
"The South West is already home to some of the world's
leading companies in tidal stream technology. We want to create an
innovative culture which will place the region at the forefront of
the marine renewable energy sector, and we therefore encourage
businesses with early stage concepts to get involved, to discuss
how we can all work together to make the most of this huge
untapped resource in the Severn."
Notes to editors:
1. Energy and Climate Change Minister Mike O'Brien and Welsh
Assembly Government Environment Minister Jane Davidson are in
Bristol to meet with potential applications of the scheme and
inform them of how they can apply for funding.
2. The £500,000 Scheme is designed to deliver:
* a support package which will comprise expert advice and grants.
The scheme is designed to offer a flexible range of support so
that both small and larger organisations can benefit from it;
* an assessment of potential in terms of technical feasibility
and environmental and other impacts, and
* a route map to deployment for promising technologies.
3. The fund is open to new proposals as well as those submitted
to the feasibility study in response to last summer's call
for proposals. The closing date for bids is 1 May 2009. Full
information is available on the DECC website at http://severntidalpowerconsultation.decc.gov.uk/news
4. Details of how applicants can apply will be available to
download from the Severn Tidal Power Consultation website - http://severntidalpowerconsultation.decc.gov.uk/supporting_documents
5. Successful proposals will be those that meet the key criteria
(including low environmental impact and low energy cost). A
cross-governmental Programme Board will assess each proposal
against this criteria. Assistance will be given to successful
applicants to help them identify the key areas of their proposal
that need further development.
6. For further information on the Severn Tidal Power Consultation
please go to http://severntidalpowerconsultation.decc.gov.uk/
Department of Energy and Climate Change
7th Floor, 3
Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD
Public enquiries +44 (0)300
060 4000
Textphone +44 (0)20 7215 6740 (for those with hearing impairment)