Wave Energy - Wave Hub 
Wave Hub is a groundbreaking renewable energy project developed by the South West RDA that aims to create the UK's first offshore facility for the demonstration and proving of the operation of arrays of wave energy generation devices. For more information visit www.wavehub.co.uk. 
 
Tidal energy - Severn Tidal Power 
We have been closely involved with South West England's tidal power potential, and co-funded the Sustainable Development Commission's (SDC) UK tidal power report which was published in October 2007. 
 
It identified the Severn Estuary as having over 80% of the UK's tidal range resource, making the region internationally significant for tidal energy and prompting the Government to announce a feasibility study into options for tidal power including the construction of a barrage across the estuary that could meet 5% of the UK's electricity needs. 
 
We are contributing this study and in particular, the Regional Impacts Assessment, and await the study's outcome in late 2009. For further details, visit the BERR Renewables web pages and www.wales.gov.uk/severntidal. 
 
Biomass - SW Bioheat Programme 
The South West Bioheat Programme aims to stimulate the bioheat industry in South West England through increasing the number of systems on the ground, supporting fuel suppliers and providing recognised training programmes across the region. We have invested £650,000 in the project which is run by Regen SW and this has attracted a further £3 million of capital funding from Defra's Bio-energy Capital Grants Scheme to bring some 30 identified projects to fruition. For more information, please visit www.regensw.co.uk/about-renewable-energy/biomass/ 
 
Offshore wind - Atlantic Array 
South West England does not currently have any offshore wind generation but plans were revealed in May 2007 for a 1.5 GW project consisting of 350 turbines in the Bristol Channel off the coast of North Devon. Called Atlantic Array and promoted by Farm Energy, the Devon-based company which originated the London Array project in the Thames Estuary, it could generate enough electricity to power more than one million homes. 
 
The RDA and others are looking at the port and infrastructure requirements of offshore industries in the region and comparing this with what is already available. We believe that there may be synergies between offshore industries such as wind, wave, tidal and the marine sector, and we plan to investigate these such that South West England's economy is positioned to reap maximum benefit from any future development of offshore wind capacity. 
 
Microgeneration 
Microgeneration is another emerging sector that is gathering pace, due in part to the growing interest from the Government and the public. Some leading manufacturers are based in South West England and there are strong opportunities for growth in this sector. 
 
To support this growth we have funded a Head of Low Carbon Development post at Regen SW to look at a mix of demand creation (with a focus on housing developments in the region), and support for microgeneration businesses. In addition, we are investigating the skills requirements that will be required to support a growing microgeneration sector. 
 
We were also members of a consortium that commissioned research into consumer behaviour and the future potential of microgeneration, available from the BERR website.