A report published on 19 May 2010 indicates that the United Kingdom has enormous untapped potential in terms of its offshore renewable resources. Prepared on behalf of the Offshore Valuation Group, a collection of interested parties including (among others) the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Scottish Government and various energy companies, the purpose of the report was to ‘better understand the potential value of the UK’s offshore renewable energy resource’.

Current Levels of Renewable Energy in the UK

Despite government enthusiasm for reducing carbon emissions and a desire to move towards ‘cleaner’ energy, the vast majority of the UK’s energy output at present comes from non-renewable sources. UK government statistics show that renewable and waste energy generated the equivalent energy to that of 4.4m tonnes of oil – less than 2% of the national total (UK Energy in Brief 2008, Department of Energy and Climate Change).

Within the renewables section, most energy is generated by biomass, which accounts for 81% of total output, with wind power and large scale hydroelectricity accounting for a further 7%. Offshore energy is currently generated within the wind sector: other offshore potential, through wave and tide power, is negligible (Department of Energy and Climate Change).