§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy on what date he will conclude his review of Professor Stephen Salter's nodding duck device to produce electricity from wave power; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe wave energy review now in progress is examining the prospects for wave energy in the United Kingdom across the whole range from shoreline to large-scale offshore devices. When the work has been completed, including collection of some additional wave energy data, a final report will be published in 1991.
The review is being conducted in stages. Two progress reports have already been circulated for comment to the wave research and development community and have also been placed in the Library of the House.
It is intended that an interim report will be published early in 1991. This interim report will address offshore wave energy including progress on the assessment of Professor Salter's nodding duck device.
§ Mr. JoplingTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what research has been carried out over the last 10 years on obtaining energy from wave power; what is currently being carried on; how long those programmes will last; and what costs are involved.
§ Mr. MoynihanA major programme of wave energy research and development funded by the Department of Energy was carried out from 1974 to 1983 and cost approximately £15.5 million. The programme is described in ETSU R26, published in March 1985. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.
Since 1983, wave energy research has focused on near-shore and small-scale shoreline devices. On the island of Islay in Scotland, a project funded by the Department is currently being carried out by Queen's university, Belfast to construct and monitor an experimental oscillating water column shoreline device. Queen's university is also carrying out a survey funded by the Department to assess the near-shore and shoreline wave energy resource.
In addition the Department is updating its earlier wave energy studies and a review is now in hand to examine the prospects for wave energy across the whole range from shoreline to large-scale offshore devices. Two progress reports have already been circulated for comment to the wave research and development community and have also been placed in the Liorary of the House. It is intended that an interim report will be published early in 1991 and a final report published later that year.
440WThe Department will re-examine its policy on wave energy research and development in the light of the results of the review.
Total funding by the Department since 1983, including committed expenditure, for the Islay project, wave energy surveys, work in support of the review and other wave energy work has amounted to about £2.5 million.