Carmichael calls for new marine energy taskforce in renewables debate

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has today called for the creation of a “marine energy taskforce” while leading a debate on marine renewables in Parliament. Mr Carmichael highlighted the potential for a £37 billion gross value added to Scotland’s economy by 2050 from marine energy, a majority of which would be from exports, and reiterated calls for an increase in ringfenced funding for tidal stream and wave energy projects, as well as empowering GB Energy to invest in marine energy projects. 

In responding to the debate, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Michael Shanks MP said he was “open-minded” about the creation of a taskforce and undertook to discuss the matter further, while stating that “marine renewables are exactly the kind of technology that Great British Energy might invest in at an early stage”.

Mr Carmichael is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Marine Energy.

Speaking during the debate, Mr Carmichael said:

“Marine energy could contribute £37 billion gross value added to Scotland’s economy by 2050, and £28 billion of that, most significantly, is from exports. Marine energy has the potential to create 62,400 jobs—to put that in context, the wind industry currently supports in the region of 20,000 jobs—and we have the potential in Scottish waters alone to deploy 9 GW of tidal stream and wave energy by 2050.

“The opportunities for tidal stream generation come from the fact that as a brand-new industry—how often do we get to say that?—we can export the expertise and products from that supply chain around the world. Devices that are currently in the water have produced a UK supply chain input in the region of 80%. Not many technologies are in a position to make that boast.

“The most important thing, as we head towards allocation round 7, is an increase in the ringfenced budget for marine energy. Scottish Renewables and the Marine Energy Council believe that the UK Government should set a £30 million ringfence for tidal and a £5 million ringfence for wave energy in this year’s round—a round, incidentally, that they described to me as “crucial”.

“We also look to the Government to enable support for marine energy through GB Energy and the national wealth fund. GB Energy and the national wealth fund could accelerate deployment of and embed UK content in marine energy projects. 

“The third ask is to provide a voice for marine energy with a marine energy taskforce. When I was in Government, we set up a body for the oil and gas industry called PILOT. If PILOT could be set up for the oil and gas industry in the past, a similar body for marine renewables would be a particularly positive development.”