Hundreds of delegates and organisations will gather in Swansea this week, as the Marine Energy Wales conference returns for its sixth edition.
The two-day event brings industry leaders, experts, researchers, and policymakers together under one roof, to explore the latest developments and opportunities in tidal, wave and floating offshore wind energy.
A carefully curated programme of sessions and expert panels will offer insights into the latest trends, technologies and policy developments shaping the marine energy landscape both in Wales and around the world.
Discussions at this year’s event will no doubt be focused on digesting the most recent announcement from UK Government, who this month outlined their largest ever budget for the next Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction round, totalling £1.025 billion.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero confirmed the continuation of a £10 million ringfence for tidal stream projects, and an increased funding pot for wave, tidal and floating offshore wind developers to bid into, when the auction opens on 27th March.
CfD is the government’s main mechanism for supporting low-carbon electricity generation, putting measures such as guaranteed pricing in place.
Previous auction rounds have delivered 28MW for four developers of tidal energy technology, linked to the Morlais Tidal Demonstration Zone on Anglesey.
Auction Round 5 (AR5), saw no bids from floating offshore wind developers.
Andy Billcliff, Chief Executive of Menter Môn Morlais said:
“With this latest AR6 announcement we are hopeful that we can build on the success of previous rounds.
For us a positive outcome would send a clear message of confidence to our stakeholders – from developers of tidal technology already signed-up to Morlais, to future potential investors and partners.”
“We are under no illusions as to what’s at stake with AR6. It is good news that tidal stream is protected, and a successful outcome would mean that we can get more devices in the water to generate electricity to secure that added value.”
The marine renewable industry is one of the UK’s fastest growing and already supports hundreds of full-time jobs in Wales.
Pembrokeshire has the highest number of people employed within the sector, boasting 281 full time employees, whilst Anglesey has seen the largest investment to date within the sector of any Welsh county, at an impressive £103.2 million, followed closely by Pembrokeshire at £90.7 million.
Marine Energy Wales (MEW) is a membership organisation that brings together developers, the supply chain, academia and the public sector to establish Wales as a global leader in sustainable marine energy generation.
Our latest ‘State of the Sector' 2023 report highlights the remarkable progress and achievements of Wales in the marine renewable energy sector and showcases our determination in Wales to become a global leader in the industry.
MEW also manages Wales’ Marine Energy Test Area (META) – the first and only real-sea test centre for offshore energy technology in Wales.
