Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential contribution of tidal energy to the economy.
In October 2010 the Government published the conclusions of a 2-year feasibility study into tidal power on the Severn estuary, including a regional economic impact assessment. The government concluded it did not see a strategic case for public investment in a tidal energy scheme in the Severn estuary, but the outcome of the feasibility study does not preclude a privately financed scheme.
In August 2012 the Government’s Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group published a Marine Energy Technology Innovation Needs Assessment which covered tidal stream technologies.
The documents can be downloaded at the following web-links:
http://www.carbontrust.com/media/168547/tina-marine-energy-summary-report.pdf