UK launches taskforce to drive tidal and wave energy roadmap

The UK has launched the Marine Energy Taskforce (MET), a new initiative aimed at developing a roadmap to realise the country’s marine energy potential. Supported by The Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland, the 12-month project will focus on accelerating wave and tidal stream energy deployment while maintaining high levels of UK supply chain content.

According to the UK Marine Energy Council (MEC), the trade body for tidal stream and wave energy, the UK has an estimated 25 GW of wave and 11 GW of tidal stream energy potential. With more than 80% of current project content sourced domestically, the MET aims to ensure the UK remains at the core of the sector’s future growth.

A recent University of Edinburgh study found that leading the global marine energy market could add £50 billion ($67.2 billion) to the economy and create more than 90,000 jobs.

The Taskforce will focus on four core areas – site development, financing, innovation, and supply chain growth, through a main Core Group and supporting subgroups. These will draw expertise from across the renewables sector to form a set of recommendations.

According to UK MEC, the Crown Estate, as part of the Great British Energy: The Crown Estate partnership, and Crown Estate Scotland will together fund the Taskforce, which brings together the UK, Welsh and Scottish Governments, key bodies including Mission Control and Great British Energy, as well as industry leaders, to develop a series of recommendations to address challenges and seize the marine energy opportunity.

 “There is significant potential around the UK’s coastline to capture the predictable nature of our tides and waves and harness them in support of the clean energy transition,” said Mike Dobson, Head of New Energies at The Crown Estate.

“We’re pleased to support the Government’s Marine Energy Taskforce to help accelerate the growth potential of this sector and explore the contribution it could make to the UK’s future energy mix, ensuring key information is considered as part of our Marine Delivery Routemap as we take a long-term view of seabed use out to 2050.”

The Core Group will comprise a balanced representation from government, industry, and the research community. Members include Sue Bartlett-Reed (Chair, MEC), Richard Arnold (Policy Director, MEC), Tim Warham (Senior Policy Advisor, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), Mike Dobson (Head of New Energies, The Crown Estate), Tom Mallows (Head of Offshore Development for Emerging Technology and Infrastructure, Crown Estate Scotland), Ed Sherriff (Director of Energy, Welsh Government), Tim Cullen (Director of Business Development and Partnerships, Great British Energy), and Michelle Quinn (Director of Offshore Wind, Scottish Government).

Alongside them are Jake Rigg (Clean Power Expert Advisor, Mission Control), Neil Kermode (Associate, European Marine Energy Centre), Andy Bilcliff (CEO, Menter Mon Morlais), Andrew Scott (CEO, Orbital Marine Power), Anders Jansson (Head of Business Development, CorPower Ocean), Tom Hutchinson (Director of Products and Services, Proteus Marine Renewables), Simon Forrest (CEO, Nova Innovation), Jonathan Hodges (Managing Director, Wave Energy Scotland), and Henry Jeffrey (UK Representative, International Energy Agency, Ocean Energy Systems).

Sue Bartlett-Reed, Chair of the Marine Energy Taskforce, said the UK is well-positioned to become a global leader in tidal stream and wave energy thanks to its abundant natural resources and strong maritime engineering base. She described the Taskforce as a vital step in charting a course to unlock that potential. 

“Marine energy projects are currently deployed with over 80% UK supply chain content spend. The Marine Energy Council’s ambition is to maintain high levels of UK content as the sector grows, and our waves and tides are harnessed. I thank The Crown Estate, Crown Estate Scotland, and DESNZ for their support of the Taskforce,” added Bartlett-Reed.

Energy Minister, Michael Shanks, is set to attend the opening and closing meetings of the Core Group.

“With a coastline that stretches among the longest in Europe, it’s time we finally deliver on our marine energy potential and put our waves and tides to work. We will work closely with industry in breaking down barriers, unlocking investment, and kickstarting growth in our coastal communities, as we deliver clean homegrown power that we control,” said Energy Minister Michael Shanks MP.

Tom Mallows, Head of Offshore Development for Emerging Technology & Infrastructure at Crown Estate Scotland, said that the Crown Estate Scotland is pleased to support the Taskforce, and is grateful to partners for bringing the tidal stream and wave energy sectors into focus.

“As the organisation responsible for managing seabed rights around Scotland, we have a key role to play in supporting the sustainable development of offshore renewable power generation. Tidal stream and wave energy offer significant long-term potential if we take deliberate and co-ordinated action. The Marine Energy Taskforce roadmap will help clarify what needs to be done to realise this potential,” Mallows noted.

In May, the UK formed a new Marine Energy Task Force as a strategic move to unlock the potential of tidal and wave technologies. The task force’s findings will be published by MEC and presented to the government to inform future policy and funding support.

Just recently, the UK MEC appointed a new board for the 2025/26 term, bringing together developers, site operators, and industry experts from across the UK’s marine energy sector.