The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its commitment to increasing the deployment of renewable energy by more than doubling the number of renewable obligation certificates it grants some marine energy technologies, the UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change announces.
As a result of the UK's ongoing Banding Review for the Renewables Obligation, some hydrokinetic technologies will receive five renewable obligation certificates (ROC) per MWh -- up from two ROCs prior -- subject to a 30 MW limit per generating station.
The proposed changes are not only intended to stimulate research, but also to ensure that developers who test marine energy devices in the UK work toward implementing full-scale projects in the UK based on that research.
"Renewable energy will create a multi-billion pound boom for the British economy, driving growth and supporting jobs across the country," says Edward Davey, secretary of state for energy and climate change. "The support we're setting out today will unlock investment decisions, help ensure that rapid growth in renewable energy continues and shows the key role of renewables for our energy security."
HydroWorld.com reported in October 2011 that the Department of Energy and Climate Change had begun discussion about changing the ROC program. It was also recently announced that ScottishPower Renewables had completed initial testing of a new 1 MW unit at Scotland's European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).
