Member Info for Pask

Proteus Marine Renewables is noted to have attended.

I haven't been posting as much, as I have been scraping the barrel to find relevant news. However, this has popped up: An update on the UK Marine energy taskforce.

https://www.offshore-energy.biz/uk-launches-taskforce-to-drive-tidal-and-wave-energy-roadmap/

https://www.energylivenews.com/2025/06/19/new-marine-energy-taskforce-sets-sights-on-50bn-tidal-power-potential/

"“We remain open to dialogue. But that dialogue must be grounded in fact, in shared responsibility, and in a willingness to find solutions.”"

Honest to god, this. There has been a lot of filibustering during this process. I suppouse it is still to be expected, but it still annoys me. There have been reasonable causes for concern, e.g., fire concerns, but SAE have put in reasonable contigencies to deal with them IMO for the time being. Perhaps there are some I have missed, but a lot of the complaints have been a load of horse crap. I mean there is a massive f***ing plantantion next to the site of non-native trees, and the area is farm land with lower levels of biodiversity to begin with comparitevly to the flow land near there.

Hi Timaues, long time no see.

Do you think they are refering to us?

SAE was trying to make an amendment to phase 2 so as to permit AR3000 turbines.

Perhaps that's what they are alluding to.

Https://www.theguardian.com/business/nils-pratley-on-finance/2025/jun/11/great-british-energys-budget-has-been-nuked

Okay, it seems to have been taken from their pot. If the goverment are planning on doing this in future, the pool of potential funds going to tidal stream will be smaller and smaller.

"Great British Energy, the government’s flagship state-owned energy company, has been handed the £2.5bn bill to support a new generation of small nuclear power plants, cutting the amount it has to spend on wind, solar and other technologies. "

I was under the assumption that nuclear energy was not the remit of GBE as expressed in the GBE Bill. Maybe one of the amendments on this passed without me noticing. Can't remember. Regardless, GBE has a little over £5bil left it can use for the rest of the governmental term.

Https://on.ft.com/45D0XXJ

Not good. How much budget lef

Forgot link:

https://renews.biz/100880/uk-targets-august-launch-of-allocation-round-7/

UK energy department DESNZ is targeting early August to launch the Allocation Round 7 Contracts for Difference auction.

A “prospective” commencement date of 7 August has been identified by officials, with an applications window running until 27 August, according to a government notice.

An intresting article. I am not sure if it is good or bad for us. It's bad in the obvious sense, but maybe "good" in making sure the goverment take this issue seriously. They do (from what I have seen) SEEM to be taking this seriously as compared to the last lot.

https://www.lbc.co.uk/politics/uk-politics/uk-energy-skills-net-zero/

So long as the media and political classes permit it there won't be too much of a fuss from some token statements and gestures against Israel. Too much leverage and opportunity for our military-industrial base for that to be that much of an issue right now (though in time, maybe). It's finance and debt which are the main issues for this company.

This is something I glossed over. It's a bit of PR for the firms involves, but is still relevent to us I think. There are two law firm Acuity Law and Purpose law who have gone into a joint venture. The venture seems to involve helping international clients primarily, Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East understand and get through Welsh and English legal restrictions. The aim is "connect UK investors and developers with high-impact renewable projects internationally, and vice versa". The author notes: "The joint venture’s legal capabilities enable UK and international partners to navigate complex regulatory environments, ensuring clarity, compliance, and confidence in solar, wind, hydrogen, battery and infrastructure projects.". The author further notes: "Acuity Law’s role on the battery storage system development at the former Uskmouth Power Station in South Wales." While this doesn't mean anything nessisarily for SAE, it does show how such firms believe there may be a growing market of overseas international investors who are intrested in investing in UK/Welsh infrastructure projects.

Source:

https://businessnewswales.com/international-joint-venture-aims-to-unlock-green-energy-investment/

There does seem to be increasing PR and govermental intrest in tidal stream across the globe. While SAE specifically did not get a mention, Proteus Marine Renewables did in this article.

Source:

https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Tidal-Energy/Exploring-the-Untapped-Power-of-Marine-Current-Turbines.html

I tend to agree with this sentiment. Still, it's a fair amount of money over the term of this government for a project such as this. We might get something, or nothing. Who knows?

What is interesting at the moment is that SAE are trying to make an amendment to their planning grant for bigger turbines for the current phase. If they are successful, this would be very significant prospect for increased attention by government and institutions via increasing efficiency.

We also know that the goverment has a Marine Energy Task Force according to Michael Shanks which is examining barriers and investing needs for the sector. It's findings will be published by the Marine Energy Coucil, so it may be worth keeping an eye on this.

I've missed this (from early May), but it is also good news.

https://www.nationalwealthfund.org.uk/news/national-wealth-fund-backs-scottish-power-boost-uk-grid-upgrades

More waiting annoyingly. They have made no direct mention of tidal stream, but I would find it odd if they didn't. Still possible.

https://dailybusinessgroup.co.uk/2025/05/gb-energy-will-make-big-shift-in-october-says-ceo/

Yes, this is what I tend to believe.

So, obviously the GBE Bill has passed. I don't know if GBE is still restricted with what it can spend. I don't know if that still holds or not, since my understanding was there was an initial limit of £125mil while the company was set up until Spring 2025. All evidence seems to point that GBE is investing well above that now. The sense I am getting is that the £8.3bil may now be used at GBE's leisure, but I am still murky about this.

Source:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/great-british-energy-legislation-passes-through-parliament

The construction updates I tend to agree with. Something has happened there, and I don't know what. I think you are right to be confused about that.

Slightly less pessimistic. I still think it is reasonable, but not a given, if all goes well (plus a few surprises) that we could at least break 3p. After that, god knows. We could get higher, but it is contingent on government support through taking a stake in these things. They have set up an industry lead group to discuss matters with ministers, and ministers and GBE officials ARE very, very interested in these sectors. I know its intuition on my part, and not reliable, but I just see a lot of these processes slowly beginning to accelerate.

I am not normally an optimistic person, but I am so with this from what I have seen so far.