UK: Crown Estate Launches New Website to Support Wave and Tidal Industry

Today the Crown Estate launched a new website to support industry collaboration in the emerging wave and tidal industry. The Wave and Tidal Knowledge Network will make it easier for organisations to share information with each other and help deliver industry growth.

The coverage of the Knowledge Network is broad, and includes such topics as environmental impacts and consents, grid connection and health and safety. The website has been designed in close consultation with the industry and initially features over 900 references, with the content to be expanded in future. The references have been contributed by over 30 organisations based in the UK and overseas.

The Crown Estate has developed the Knowledge Network in partnership with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), stemming from an initiative of the DECC Marine Energy Programme Board.

The system is open access and much of the information is available to download immediately, free of charge. In addition, the website gives links to external sources of information available on a commercial basis.

Rob Hastings, Director of the Energy & Infrastructure Portfolio, said: “The Crown Estate is committed to working in partnership with the wave and tidal industry and is keen to encourage greater collaboration within the industry itself. Building on our experience of similar initiatives for offshore wind, we believe the Knowledge Network will bring significant benefits, making it easier for organisations to learn from each other, saving them time and money in the process.”

Minister of State for Climate Change, Rt Hon Greg Barker at Department for Energy and Climate Change, said: “The Crown Estate’s new Wave and Tidal Knowledge Network is a great way for industry to share latest developments and expertise. This kind of collaboration is vital for further growth in this sector and will help bring a range of exciting and innovative technologies to market.

“Wave and tidal power has an important part to play in our low carbon energy mix and the UK is already leading the marine energy global race. We need to capitalise on growth so far and I am delighted that The Crown Estate and my department are working together to ensure we can help industry keep up the momentum.” 

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Press release, April 24, 2013; Image: dhi