Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to identify, promote and develop innovations in (a) wind, (b) wave, (c) tidal and (d) riverflow cold renewables.

From 2013–2015, government and its agencies (including Innovate UK and the Research Councils) invested on average over £200m per year in support for low carbon innovation. This included support for identifying, promoting, and developing innovations in the wind and marine sectors, including for the Glasgow-based Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and Supergen UK Centre for Marine Energy Research.

From 2016-2021, government has committed to increase the UK’s energy innovation spend, such that by 2021 it will have doubled to over £400m per year. This funding will support innovation across the energy sector in regions across the UK, and details will be set out in due course. Through the new Energy Innovation Board, chaired by Sir Mark Walport, the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy will be collaborating with Innovate UK, the Research Councils, and other delivery partners across government, including members of Devolved Administrations, to co-ordinate energy innovation activities.