§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the United Kingdom is taking part in any international collaborative research on wave power.
§ Mr. EadieAn agreement is due to be signed in Tokyo today between four member countries of the International Energy Agency, to undertake a collaborative programme of research and development on one aspect of wave power. In this programme, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada will collaborate with Japan in the testing of air driven turbines and generators on board an 80-metre-long buoy, specially constructed for the Japan Marine Science and Technology Centre. The tests, which will be carried out in the Sea of Japan during the two coming winters, will cost approximately £1½ million. The United Kingdom contribution is expected to be about £300,000, part of this being spent in British industry.
The information and experience from the sea trial will be of considerable value to our independent national programme on wave power, which I announced in April 1976, and to which the Department of Energy has so far committed £2½ million.