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Marine power gets more subsidies

Renewable energy technologies such as marine power and anaerobic digestion could get more subsidies than others, according to the New Energy Focus.

It claims that a draft proposal from the Department of Energy and Climate change would offer more incentives – in the form of Renewable Energy Certificates – to facilities that generate electricity using marine, solar, or geothermal power.

According to the publication, more ROCs, which are issued per megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity will be handed out to technologies which the department claims need to be "more cost-effective".

So tidal stream, tidal impoundment and solar photovoltaic plants will earn two ROCs per MWh compared to hydropower and onshore wind power, which will earn one.

Offshore wind will earn 1.5 ROCs per MWh, but landfill will receive 0.25.

All renewable technologies received the same subsidy before, but that was changed to "accomplish more", said energy minister Mike O'Brien.

"We have taken the necessary powers in the Energy Act 2008 to deliver this," The publication quotes him as saying. "In particular, to band the Renewables Obligation to allow it to bring on the wider range of technologies, such as offshore wind and biomass, that we need to be more cost-effective."

The UK has committed to generating 15 per cent of electricity from renewable energy by 2020.

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