Support for wave energy

The granting of £5 million of Objective One funding towards the development of a wave energy project off the Pembrokeshire coast has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth Cymru.

The first stage of the project will involve the building and deployment of a 7MW unit near West Dale Bay. The unit could supply sufficient electricity for up to 6,000 homes. If the three to five year trial proves a success, the next stage could see the deployment of seven units in the area. [1]

Friends of the Earth Cymru spokesperson, Gordon James, said:

"We welcome this development of clean energy off the Pembrokeshire coast. There's a huge potential for extracting energy from the waves and we hope that this project will be successful.

"The crises we now face globally because of climate change means that we ought to move away as quickly as possible from burning coal, oil and gas - as these fuels are the main source of the carbon dioxide that is changing the climate - to cleaner forms of energy.

"The £5m of Objective One funding is also to be welcomed. Nuclear power and fossil fuels have traditionally received more public funding than renewable sources and we would like to see this position reversed."

Notes

1.For further information see: http://www.wavedragon.co.uk/