Popping back for a visit to New Energy Focus, this little headline caught my eye:
"Conservation zones could sterilise offshore development"
It's all to do with a new Act which became law a few weeks ago after receiving Royal Assent, which creates a new marine planning system, a network of marine Conservation Zones and a more "streamlined consenting and licensing system through the creation of the Marine Management Organisation (MMO)".
However, figures in the Renewable Energy Association are concerned that conservation of marine areas will be placed ahead of renewable energy generation schemes that involve wave and tidal devices.
Dr Steph Merry, head of marine at the Renewable Energy Association (REA) said "Tidal stream technology, for example, is very site specific and you can't just move it 100 yards away. There has got to be a balance when selections are made - at the moment we're not sure that is the case."
You can read the full article at New Energy Focus by clicking here.
It does seem on the face of it to be another example of where the possibility to produce clean, renewable energy might be thwarted by environmental issues when perhaps it doesn't really have to be, and no doubt a balance will have to be struck or forced upon people for eventual locations of renewable technologies. Royal Assent or not.
photo credit: wonderlane
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