UK - Marine Bill Balancing Act Must Safeguard UK’s

BWEA was today cautiously optimistic on the opportunities presented in the Marine Bill Consultation paper to help offshore renewable energy projects come forward quicker and with greater certainty. As well as protecting the UK’s unique marine environment BWEA believes this significant piece of legislation must also help safeguard the UK’s unique offshore energy strengths in its winds, waves and tides. However it stressed that any such framework mush be complemented by increased Government support for offshore renewables to help unlock the potential for carbon free energy production from our seas. The representative body for offshore renewable energy in the UK believes the Bill must have sustainable development at its core and deliver a flexible and adaptive system of marine spatial planning. It must also ensure that an efficient process for dealing with offshore renewable energy projects allows them to be developed in areas that combine adequate wind, wave or tidal resource with onshore grid capacity.

It is vital that this legislation does not add a new layer of bureaucracy to what is already a complex system for developers and conservation groups alike, or create greater uncertainty for an industry in its infancy. This would only lead to the UK losing out in its present position at the forefront of the growing offshore renewable energy sector and potentially to it substantially missing its targets for renewable energy generation in the future.
Michael Hay, Marine Renewables Development Manager at BWEA, said: “BWEA welcomes the thrust of this consultation, however we believe that the key strategic importance of our vast offshore renewable energy resources must be fully recognised in the formulation of any new Bill and in increased Government support for their development. The UK has the best offshore wind, wave and tidal energy resources in Europe and the skills base to build a significant industry for a global market. Given our present position as market leader, particularly in wave and tidal energy, it is vital that projects are able to enter the water as efficiently as possible in areas that provide excellent potential for power production. This, of course, means working with other stakeholders in the marine environment to ensure minimal conflict and maximum confidence in developments. The outcomes of this consultation must ensure this can occur more effectively.

With climate change increasingly being regarded as the biggest threat to life in the marine environment the Bill must allow for offshore renewables, as carbon-free sources of energy, to realise their full potential.” BWEA has been working constructively with a number of stakeholders on the pre-cursory work to the Marine Bill consultation launch including WWF. Jan Brown, Senior Marine Officer, WWF stated: “WWF is working with BWEA in calling for a strategic planning system in our seas which will bring a balanced and efficient approach for conservation and the development of renewables. This will provide a win-win situation for the environment in the long-term.”