Scotland announced last week that 1.2 GW of tidal and wave energy capacity would be built there by 2020. To achieve this, 10 projects will be started and will be the first commercial applications of these energy sources.
Scotts are determine to have 31 percent of their electricity coming from renewables by 2011 and are willing to cut their greenhouse gases emissions by 42 percent by 2020.
Both tidal and wave energies have a huge potential and would prove very convenient as more and more people are living in large cities near the coasts.
To David JC MacKay’ brilliant book Sustainable Energy – without the hot air these two energy sources could provide up to 15 kWh per day per person compared to the 125 kWh each European daily consumes. (US citizens consume 250 kWh per day per person)
I believe such solutions could be coupled with deep offshore wind farms. As I noted previously, such zones could be used as biodiversity reserves.
To conclude I would like to note the United Kingdom once again shows its willingness to become a leader in the cleantech and renewable energy markets. Indeed, it unveiled earlier this year a massive wind energy plan.
France – and many other nations – should be inspired by this…