§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his departmental figures relating to grant for the wave power device known as Salter's duck.
§ 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. Including follow on work after the main programme ended support provided for the Salter duck amounted to £1.8 million.
The research programme is described in ETSU R26, published in March 1985. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.
The Department is now updating its earlier wave energy studies and a review is 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 also have been placed in the Library of the House.
It is intended that an interim report will be published early in 1991 and a final report published later that year. The interim report will address offshore wave energy including progress on the assessment of Professor Salter's device.