Since its inception in 2003, EMEC has become a major hub for the development of wave and tidal power, helping to put the U.K. at the heart of the planet’s emerging marine energy sector. EMEC was created as a bit of a flagship organization, with the idea that if you could put a lot of investment into one facility it would reduce the time, the cost and the risk for these technologies to come to market. £36 million ($50.98 million) has been invested in EMEC so far. Financial backers include the Scottish government, U.K. government, European Union, Orkney Islands Council, The Carbon Trust and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. As well as miles of coastline and abundant natural resources, facilities such as EMEC also draw upon the U.K.’s long history of marine-based industries and leading academic institutions. There’s lots of legacies from other sectors, oil and gas being one but (also) aquaculture; lots of engineering disciplines that are really strong.
There may be excitement in some quarters regarding the potential of marine energy, but its current footprint is tiny compared to other renewable technologies such as solar and wind. Recent figures from Ocean Energy Europe show that only 260 kilowatts of tidal stream capacity were added in Europe last year, while just 200 kW of wave energy was installed. Despite this, tidal and wave power could have a significant role to play in the years ahead as countries attempt to decarbonize their energy mix and hit ambitious emissions reduction targets. The European Commission, for example, wants the capacity of ocean energy technologies to hit 100 megawatts by 2025 and roughly 1 gigawatt by 2030. Back across the Channel, discussions about marine energy’s role in the U.K. continue, with driving costs down seen as being key if the sector is to flourish. In a report released earlier this month, RenewableUK called on the government to also establish a target of 1 gigawatt of marine energy. Much like with floating wind, a 1 GW target for marine energy, set in the 2030s, would not just signal a confidence in marine energy to the world, but would also demonstrate the U.K.’s commitment to making these technologies a cost-competitive solution for others to adopt.