£1 million boost for marine power in the UK

Technology used in aviation and the oil industry is to form part of a £1 million plan to boost wave and tidal power in the UK.

Louise Gray, The Telegraph 18 Dec 08;

Energy from the sea could provide up to 20 per cent of the UK's current electricity.

However at the moment the renewable power is too expensive, compared to other options such as wind farms.

The Carbon Trust, an organisation set up by the Government to boost green energy, is to invest £1 million over the next year to try reduce the cost of generating marine power by 20 per cent. Research will include investigating the possibility of using giant turbines used on aeroplanes and hydraulics used in the oil industry.

Lord Hunt, energy innovation minister, said the UK must lead the world in the sector.

"These innovative technologies, when proven to be commercially viable, could play a significant role in meeting our renewable and climate change targets," he said.

The announcement came as the Liberal Democrats called for a new "green road out of the recession".

Leader Nick Clegg said his party would scrap the Government's temporary 2.5 per cent cut in VAT and spend the £12.5 billion on "green" measures to kick-start the economy instead.

The plan would include a five-year programme to insulate every school and hospital; subsidies for home energy efficiency; 40,000 new zero-carbon homes; improvements to rail lines and 700 new train carriages.

The Government announced a consultation on plans to make all homes zero carbon by 2016 yesterday.

However campaigners have warned the economic downturn could threaten the target as the construction industry is investing less in innovative building methods and less people will be updating their homes to improve energy efficiency.