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£10m boost for South West marine energy research
02 July 2009
South West England's ambition to be a global centre for
harnessing energy from the sea has received a major boost with the
announcement of a £10.3 million investment in marine energy
research.
The Peninsula Research Institute for Marine Renewable Energy
(PRIMaRE), set up two years ago by the Universities of Exeter and
Plymouth with funding from the South West RDA (Regional Development
Agency), will use the cash to support its team of world-class
academics and researchers, buy new equipment and collaborate with
business.
The bulk of the investment, £5.3 million, has come from the ERDF
(European Regional Development Fund) Convergence Programme in
Cornwall (£4.2m) and the ERDF Competiveness Programme (£1.1m) in
the rest of the South West.
The South West RDA is contributing £4.3 million with a further
£200,000 from the University of Plymouth and £466,000 from the
University of Exeter.
The funding will support PRIMaRE's 15 world-class academic
staff, 60 researchers and a dedicated technology transfer team that
works with businesses to support high quality job creation across
the South West.
There will be substantial investment in new equipment including
wave and tidal measuring devices, wave making facilities, subsea
electrical equipment, collision avoidance and monitoring equipment
and research into the environmental impact and benefits of marine
renewable energy.
PRIMaRE will support and complement the South West RDA's
pioneering Wave Hub project, which will create the world's largest
wave energy farm 10 miles of the Cornish coast and is on course to
be built next year.
Stephen Peacock, Enterprise and Innovation Director at the South
West RDA, which plans to invest around £70 million in low carbon
activities by 2012, said: "PRIMaRE and Wave Hub are central planks
in the RDA's drive towards a low carbon economy in South West
England. We want our region to be one of the best places in the
world to build a low carbon business and a global leader in the
development of environmental and renewable energy
technologies."
Nigel Howells, Head of Competiveness in the South West, said:
"Climate change presents many challenges but there are also great
opportunities for new low carbon goods, services and energy
production. It is only through investment in top quality scientific
research and knowledge transfer to businesses that we will
successfully tap these new markets. This ERDF Competiveness and
Convergence investment will stimulate the creation of a whole new
industry and related business opportunities."
Professor Wendy Purcell, University of Plymouth Chief Executive
and Vice-Chancellor said: "This new funding recognises the very
substantial expertise in marine energy, research, development and
innovation now present in the South West and provides additional
support for engaging business with world-class research for the
benefit of our region and the wider environment.
"In partnership with the University of Exeter, we will generate
important new marine knowledge to inform the emerging renewable
energy sector, positioning the region at the forefront of marine
science and technology expertise."
- Local businesses are today (Thursday 2 July) viewing the South
West Mooring Test Facility (SWMTF) buoy, at an event at Falmouth's
Maritime Museum. Developed by the University of Exeter's PRIMaRE
team, the buoy has been designed with unique features so it can
obtain very detailed data to show how moored structures respond to
changes in wind, wave, current and tide. Using this information,
developers will be able to model and test mooring designs and
components for their marine energy devices as they convert wave
movement into energy.
Copy ends
July 2, 2009
Editors' notes:
Photography: show's the South West Mooring Test Facility (SWMTF)
buoy, developed by the University of Exeter's PRIMaRE team,
recently being deployed near Falmouth.
PRIMaRE is a virtual institute with staff based at the
University of Plymouth and at the Tremough campus near Falmouth,
part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative, where the
University of Exeter is a partner.
The South West RDA initially invested £1.4m in PRIMaRE in 2007
to allow for the recruitment of academic staff. The RDA's total
investment will be £7.3m over three years, including today's
announcement.
The £10.3 million investment package announced today is made up
as follows:
ERDF Convergence programme investment - £4,200,328
ERDF Competiveness programme investment - £1,145,000
South West RDA match funding investment - £4,318,503
University of Plymouth investment - £199,720
University of Exeter investment - £466,014
Total: £10,329,565
Competitiveness
The South West ERDF Competitiveness Programme is worth around
Euro250 million to the South West, made up of 50% European Regional
Development Fund (ERDF) and 50% match funding from the UK
government.
Convergence
The ERDF Convergence Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of
Scilly is worth around Euro610 million made up of 75% ERDF with the
balance coming from UK match funding.
South West RDA
The South West RDA leads the development of a sustainable
economy, investing to unlock the region's business potential. It is
helping companies respond to the economic crisis and charts a
course for recovery. The RDA is developing or expanding initiatives
which include: establishing a Business Loan Fund; coordinating the
response to large companies in difficulty; preparing for economic
recovery. For more information see www.southwestrda.org.uk.
For more information contact:
ERDF Convergence: Clare Morgan, 07973 813647, cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
ERDF Competiveness: Leander Clarke, 0117-906 4511,
lclarke@Brayleino.co.uk
PRIMaRE: University of Plymouth Press Office on 01752 588003
South West RDA: Jason Clark, 01208-77900, jason.clark@dca-pr.co.uk.
Contact Details
Name: Jason Clark
Tel: 01208-77900
Email: jason.clark@dca-pr.co.uk