Spotlight | Turning the tide
Andrew Hey and Andie McConnell of Withers & Rogers explain why harnessing tidal energy is key to realising the UK’s renewable power potential
CLEANTECH INNOVATORS ARE supporting the UK Government’s decision to launch a new Marine Energy Taskforce, which aims to unlock billions in economic value and create thousands of UK jobs. Can the UK’s untapped tidal and marine energy potential be realised at last? Whilst the UK’s tidal streams and coastline
represent a significant untapped source of renewable energy, the systems needed to harness that energy and bring it back to shore are both costly and complex. With funding and private sector investment for tidal and marine energy in short supply compared to other renewables such as solar and wind energy, technological advancements have been relatively slow to materialise. However, there are emerging signs of an upturn
in interest in tidal and marine energy. Established in June 2025, the Marine Energy Taskforce will assess the potential of offshore tidal stream and marine power, and report back in a year’s time. Their findings will inform future UK policy and investment decisions. But why the change of heart and what’s driving interest in tidal and marine energy?
Untapped resource UK coastal waters and streams have some of the
world’s biggest tidal ranges. The tidal range of the Severn Estuary, for example, extends to more than 14m at its highest point – the second highest globally. Only the Bay of Fundy in Canada has a higher tidal range, reaching over 16m at its highest point. This untapped clean energy resource is of significant interest to the UK Government as it explores different strategies to achieve net zero by 2050. Technological solutions developed in the UK could also be utilised overseas, bringing long-term
economic benefits for UK companies and intellectual property (IP) rights owners. A report published by the University of Edinburgh has underlined the opportunity that exists to drive economic growth. The report shows that scaling up tidal and marine energy technologies to meet demand domestically and globally could deliver an estimated £50 billion to the UK economy and create more than 90,000 jobs. Recognising the importance of optimising operational efficiency, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, part of the UK’s national innovation agency, says that tidal energy costs could fall 80% by 2035 with the right technological developments. Cost and complexity have long been a barrier
to the wider take up of tidal stream and marine energy systems, but progress is being made, and modern systems are demonstrating their viability. For example, maintenance has historically been a key issue for systems operators due to the need to bring the turbines back to shore or send divers down to service or repair them. To address this problem, Tidal Technologies Ltd has obtained a patent at the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) – (GB2621060B)1 – for an innovative tidal turbine assembly, which has a plurality of foils supported by a foil support configured to move up and down relative to a turbine shaft to facilitate maintenance in situ.
Focus for innovators
Demonstrating durability and minimising the need for unscheduled maintenance remains a core focus for innovators. Underwater systems must contend with the harshness of the marine environment: the need for continuous operation under exposure to saltwater, makes corrosion and wear critical considerations. The MeyGen tidal energy project
Right: Minesto’s technology has been undergoing extensive development and ocean testing since 2013
10 | January 2026 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
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