UK Examines Role of Tidal Power in Net-Zero Plans

The UK parliament's Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) will consider the role of tidal energy in the country’s low-carbon energy mix in meeting net-zero goals, as part of the latest phase of the Technological Innovations and Climate Change inquiry.

The EAC will examine a number of issues and is inviting written submissions to inform its forthcoming session.

It will focus on the contribution tidal power can play towards the UK’s energy mix, as well as consider why, despite the considerable marine resources available, have relatively few developers established tidal projects in the country.

Other considerations will be whether or not there are certain locations where one type of tidal technology is best suited, how financial support could be structured to assist technological and project development, and how tidal schemes might reduce costs to become commercially competitive with other low carbon or renewable options.

The EAC will also address the environmental impacts of tidal schemes and how can these be minimised and the wider economic benefits and potential disadvantages that tidal schemes bring to regional areas.