Marine Energy Wales

In the de-industrialised area of Milford Haven Waterway, the membership organisation and representative body, Marine Energy Wales, is bringing together technology developers, leading research and the public sector to establish Wales as a global leader in sustainable marine energy generation.

Marine Energy Wales’s vision is to create a thriving and diverse emerging offshore renewables industry in Wales that brings with it the combined benefits of climate change mitigation, reliable contributions to the national energy mix, jobs and economic development in rural/peripheral zones, and large-scale future export potential.

In our coastal communities and across Wales, the emerging offshore renewable energy sector represents an opportunity for a diverse and resilient energy mix and an untapped solution to climate change for Wales and the UK. It offers the possibility of harnessing an abundance of predictable clean energy from Welsh waters, which can contribute to Wales’s net zero targets, fulfil our international agreements on carbon emission reductions and decarbonise our energy supplies.

The wind is not always blowing and the sun is not always shining. Marine renewables can address fluctuations in these energy sources to ensure that the lights stay on. They also enable energy independence by reducing our reliance on fuels imported from abroad. Generating power from multiple diverse sources is key to delivering a continuous uninterrupted supply of renewable energy to our homes.

Over £150 million has been spent on marine energy projects in Wales to date. The sector is driving inward investment with a number of international wave and tidal developers having relocated their headquarters to Wales. Marine energy is offering real diversification opportunities for local supply chain companies. The Welsh supply chain has capability, capacity and ambition to deliver marine energy projects. With over 737 person years of employment to date, the sector is providing skilled employment and spurring low carbon economic growth in coastal regions across the country.

Marine renewables can position Wales as the leading offshore renewable energy generator in the UK. Wales’s unique geography has blessed the country’s waters with abundant tidal stream, tidal range and wave resource as well as significant deep-water areas suitable for floating offshore wind. With the right level of support and investment to enable continued innovation Wales could become one of the best and easiest places to produce offshore renewable energy.

Marine renewables provide jobs and opportunities in coastal communities. A homegrown industry creating high quality skilled jobs can help bring about regeneration to level up coastal regions. By creating more opportunities across a range of careers for meaningful employment around our coast and so helps retain talent and nurture skills in Wales

Marine renewables can play a key role in a green recovery. The industry has already showed continued growth in the face of the covid-19 pandemic. Marine Energy Wales work increases targeted support to stimulate further growth as part of a sustainable economic recovery, creating and maintaining jobs in a resilient industry with long term prospects.

Find out more here: https://www.marineenergywales.co.uk/