§ 62. Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what further steps he is taking to promote wave power electricity generation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe Department of Energy is funding a study to assess the overall United Kingdom shoreline wave energy resource. This survey is being carried out by Queen's university, Belfast.
This study is complementary to the present research and development work funded by the Department on the shoreline rock gully device on the island of Islay.
The objectives of the current phase are the design, manufacture and the installation of an appropriate air driven power turbine and electrical generator and the assessment of the overall productivity, reliability and cost effectiveness of the complete system when connected to the local grid.
In February 1987 the Department published Energy Paper 54 "Energy Technologies for the United Kingdom: 1986 appraisal of research, development and demonstration". This appraisal is due to be updated and a detailed study of wave energy is now in progress as part of the overall appraisal. This study has the following objectives:
To review the technical and commercial viability and prospects for wave energy in the United Kingdom, in the following areas;
- shoreline wave energy;
- small-scale modular offshore wave energy;
- large-scale offshore wave energy;
To review the economic classification of shoreline and offshore wave energy technologies and determine whether they are in the "Economically Attractive", "Promising but Uncertain" or "Long Shot" categories.A steering group with independent members for the wave 103W energy study has been appointed as is our normal practice. All interested parties are being consulted during the study and at the stage of the preparation of the report.