Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Tidal Range Energy Generation

10 January 2024 · 5 other contributors · 2,997 words

Opened by Mick Whitley Lab Birkenhead

Responding minister: Andrew Bowie

ClimateEnergy

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Mick Whitley raised concerns about tidal range energy generation in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The UK possesses ten percent of the world's tidal resources and is well-positioned to exploit tidal energy.
  • The Government's Energy Act 2023 excludes tidal range technology, and the ambition to explore tidal power aggressively has not been realized.
  • Industry figures expressed disbelief over the government's decision not to support the Swansea bay tidal project.

Key requests to Government

The Government needs to adopt a whole-systems approach when assessing cost-effectiveness and establish a sustainable financial mechanism for new tidal range projects. The Minister should look seriously at employing a regulated asset-based model for funding tidal range, similar to what was done with nuclear power last year.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Mick Whitley Lab Birkenhead

The UK has ten percent of the world's tidal resources and is uniquely positioned to harness the power of its tides. However, the Government's ambition in supporting tidal range projects has been lacking, with tidal range technology excluded from the Energy Act 2023 and the commitment to 'aggressively explore' tidal power not delivered on. The decision not to provide support for the Swansea bay project was met with incredulity by industry figures, as it came only 18 months after Charles Hendry's independent review found that tidal lagoons could play a cost-effective role in the UK's energy mix.

Other contributors (5)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Supporting the debate, Jim Shannon highlighted the potential of tidal energy in his constituency of Strangford. He mentioned a successful trial scheme in 2008 with SeaGen and argued for the devolved Administrations' role in developing tidal stream and tidal range.

  • John Martin McDonnell Lab Hayes and Harlington

    Intervening, John Martin McDonnell recalled an earlier meeting on the Mersey barrage in 2015. He argued for a sense of urgency due to the trajectory towards alternative fuel sources being cheaper than rising oil prices.

  • John McDonnell Lab Hayes and Harlington

    The right hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington agreed with the lead MP's contributions regarding the importance of revisiting value for money and adopting a whole-systems approach when assessing cost-effectiveness.

  • Margaret Greenwood Lab Wirral West

    Congratulating Mick Whitley on securing the debate, Margaret Greenwood emphasised the urgency of putting infrastructure in place to power a fossil fuel-free future. She called for immediate Government action to address this urgent need. The hon. Member for Wirral West agreed with the lead MP's contributions regarding the importance of revisiting value for money and adopting a whole-systems approach when assessing cost-effectiveness.

  • Tim Farron Lib Dem Westmorland and Lonsdale

    Acknowledging Mick Whitley's speech, Tim Farron highlighted the long-term benefits of tidal energy schemes in Morecambe bay and Duddon estuary. He emphasised economic gains with 7.8 TW of energy, creating over 14,000 jobs.

Government Response

Andrew Bowie

It is an absolute pleasure to serve under the chairmanship this morning. The Minister congratulates Mick Whitley for securing the debate, highlighting the urgency of transitioning from fossil fuels following the invasion of Ukraine and rise in global energy prices. He acknowledges that the UK has already cut emissions further and faster than any other major economy since 1990, with renewables growing to almost 50% today, keeping us on track towards net zero by 2050 and a fully decarbonised power sector by 2035. The Minister emphasises that tidal range is an important domestic energy source for long-term energy security due to its predictable nature and ability to balance the grid against variable renewable sources like wind and solar. He notes the UK has the second-highest tidal range in the world, committing to aggressively explore its potential as outlined in the British energy security strategy. Officials will continue engaging with the sector to model the benefits of tidal range and establish an evidence base for future development. A dedicated page for tidal range on gov.uk was published recently and improvements are being considered through Government portals.

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