(2) how much funding was provided to support renewable energy technology development in the South West region in each of the last five years.
Public sector funding for renewable energy technology innovation in the UK is being delivered through the research councils, the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF).
The Department does not hold records of all the expenditure on renewable energy in the South West. However, information is provided as follows on the programmes that DECC is responsible for.
The main funding that has been made available for renewable energy in the South West is through the support provided to Regen SW, which is the sustainable energy agency for South West England.
Support has also been made available for bioheat projects through the South West Bioheat Programme (funded by the Government Office for the South West (GOSW) and the Forestry Commission and delivered by Regen SW). This programme aims to stimulate the bioheat industry through increasing the number of systems on the ground, supporting fuel suppliers, and providing recognised training programmes across the region.
The ‘Wave Hub’ project off the North Cornwall coast received planning approval on 17 September 2007 and has been offered £4.5 million of support from the Government’s Marine Renewables Deployment Fund (MRDF) towards a total cost of £20 million for the project. It will provide a well defined and monitored site with electrical connection to the onshore electricity grid and will greatly simplify and shorten the consents process for wave energy device developers. If it receives the necessary support from industry, it could be commissioned by spring 2010.
Assistance under the Selective Finance for Investment in England (SFIE) programme—now known as the Grant for Business Investment (GBI)—is also available to renewable energy businesses for suitable projects.
The Department does not hold records of all the expenditure on renewable energy in the South West. However, the following table sets out the funding spent on the development of renewable energy in the South West for the years 2002-03 to 2008-09 on the programmes that DECC is responsible for.
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 Total South West Bioheat Programme — — — — 51,542 298,152 71,862 421,556 South West Bioenergy Capital Grants Scheme — — — — — — 11,434 11,434 Wave Hub — — 419,513 964,398 909,016 740,692 213,846 3,247,466 Regen SW 100,000 334,402 199,406 402,843 410,609 455,940 547,786 2,450,986 Source: Government Office for the South West.