Barker: UK is the destination for wave and tidal energy

The UK is “the destination for wave and tidal energy” according to the climate change minister, Greg Barker.

In a keynote address to Renewable UK’s wave and tidal energy conference, Barker said the coalition aimed to ensure the UK remains attractive for innovation, adding “let’s unlock this untapped potential and make 2014 a marine year to remember”.

He also vowed to work with the industry to move forward on commercial deployment, and recognised the economic impact a “supply chain rich in growth” can have on transforming remote areas.

Shadow energy minister Tom Greatrex, who spoke at the conference, supported Barker’s views and described the marine energy industry as a “sector with huge potential and massive opportunities”.

He added: “It can contribute to security of supply, help meet our climate targets and help us see some of the transformation we need in the economy to rebalance it away from the south east of England.”

Renewable UK’s chief executive, Maria McCaffery, said: “It’s terrific to see such close cross-party unity here – the coalition government and the Labour Party are strongly committed to harnessing the potential of the UK’s superb marine energy resources to the maximum.

“We’ve seen real strides forward for wave and tidal under the strong leadership of the climate change minister Gregory Barker, and with the right level of political backing, the wave and tidal energy industries will continue to grow, to take their place alongside other renewables as one of the very cornerstones of the UK’s new clean-tech economy.”

She added: “Other countries are eyeing us enviously and wondering how they can grab a slice of the action. We want to ensure the thousands of jobs and billions in investment stay here in the UK.”