The UK’s first Marine Energy Park is to be created in the south west –giving the region a leading international role in the development of marine renewable energy.
Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council teamed up to commission the work to develop the South West Marine Energy Park, which aims to bring together business and research and attract investment to support businesses move from cutting edge research to profit in a new industry worth more than £70 billion to the UK economy by 2050.
Today’s announcement paves the way for a collaboration that will create the most extensive clustering of activities of its type in the world.
Over the past seven years more than £100 million has been invested in the marine energy industry in the south west, creating world leading research and demonstration facilities. This investment has supported the development of the largest consented area for marine technologies in the world at Cornwall’s Wave Hub, the Fab–Test nursery site at Falmouth, globally–leading research facilities at Plymouth and Exeter universities and the National Composites Centre at Bristol.
The new South West Marine Energy Park (SWMEP) will combine the area’s vast expertise by creating a partnership between local and national government, Local Enterprise Partnerships, technology developers, academia and the industry, creating a critical mass for attracting investment and accelerating the commercial development of the industry.
The two councils commissioned Regen SW to work up the park concept.
Formally launching the prospectus setting out how the public and private sector will work with the Government and other key national bodies such as the Crown Estate to create the Marine Energy Park during a meeting with south west business leaders and councillors from Cornwall, Plymouth and Bristol, Energy Minister Greg Barker said that this was a exciting milestone which would secure the South West region a place in renewables history.
“Marine power has huge potential in the UK not just in contributing to a greener electricity supply and cutting emissions, but in supporting thousands of jobs in a sector worth a possible £15bn to the economy to 2050” he said. “The South West Marine Energy Park builds on the region’s unique mix of renewable energy resource and home-grown academic, technical and industrial expertise. The Government will be working closely with the South West MEP Partnership to maximise opportunities and support the Park’s future development’.
George Eustice MP said, “This announcement is fantastic news and provides a firm footing for Cornwall to overtake Scotland as the world leader in developing marine energy technology. We must now work together to build on this success”.
“Cornwall’s marine energy programme is reinforced by more than a thousand years of industrial heritage” said Chris Ridgers, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for economy and regeneration. “The land and the sea have provided the foundation of Cornish entrepreneurship in engineering and innovation, recognised across the world. Now, in the 21st century, Cornwall continues to provide the perfect balance between resource, people and infrastructure supporting the South West Marine Energy Park and unlocking the potential of a global industry. ”
The project also has the support of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership and the Heart of the South West LEP.
“The LEP supports the development of the South West Marine Energy Park, a project that uses the natural environment in a sustainable way to help drive private sector-led growth, investment and job creation within the marine industry” said Chris Pomfret, Chairman of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership. “We look forward to working with our neighbouring LEPs with marine interests on this project.”
The work to develop the Park was carried out by Regen SW. “The launch of the South West Marine Energy Park is a recognition of the great resources, research facilities and businesses we have in the region “ said Johnny Gowdy, Programme Director at Regen SW. “It also puts the South West in a position to attract future investment, and to be at the forefront of the new global marine energy industry”.
George Eustice is pictured with Claire Gibson, General Manager of the Wavehub.