The UK government has this month published the ‘UK Research and Development Roadmap’.
It sets out the UK government’s vision and ambition for science, research and innovation.
Beyond the immediate imperative to overcome COVID-19, the greatest challenge facing the UK and the world is that of decarbonising economies and building resilience to the impacts of climate change.
UK R&D will boost efforts to build resilience to these risks by developing the potential of technologies such as hydrogen, carbon capture use and storage, zero-emission vehicles and zero-carbon industrial processes as well as nature-based solutions.
Morag Watson , director of policy at Scottish Renewables, has welcomed this initiative, but also highlighted the need to support marine renewables :
“We welcome the commitment of the UK Government to invest in research and development in technology such as zero-emission vehicles, hydrogen and carbon capture use and storage, which will help in tackling climate change.
“The UK’s remarkable marine energy resource means we currently lead the world in the development of technology to capture clean energy from the sea, but despite our world lead both tidal stream and wave power are effectively locked out of the UK energy market.
“Industry is calling on the UK Government to recognise that wave and tidal are at a different stage of development to mature renewable energy technologies like wind and solar power, and to support them until they can compete.
“Investment in these technologies would provide a huge opportunity for the UK and would allow these devices, and the skills which they’re helping create, tap into an enormous potential global market, driving supply chain and social benefits for the whole of the country.”
Scottish engineer calls for UK marine energy support
Earlier in May this year, Scottish engineering firm Malin Group has called on the UK and Scottish governments to create “crucial connections” which will determine the commercial future of wave and tidal stream energy.
The call came after two decades in which government incentives have failed to produce commercially viable projects, though trials involving various prototypes are continuing.