MAKING Waves

Having struggled to find a productive niche in the Chinese context, the UK may finally have something truly unique to offer. With a lengthy history of maritime strength and resilience, the UK is once more projecting its developmental hopes seaward. As the world’s largest investor in renewable energy, China seems the perfect testing ground for a new round of British marine innovations. In light of divided opinions over the building of the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, the UK continues to fall behind in the renewable energy sector. The latest controversy covers the decision to allow a Chinese company to build the sea wall for the flagship project, at a cost of 300 million GBP (3 billion RMB).

 

 

Swansea Bay and Tidal Technology in China

In China, however, such concerns over cost are outweighed by continued pressure on the government to abandon polluting coal-powered energy. Where renewable energy proponents in the UK must struggle through acres of bad press, short-sightedness and red-tape, this is one sector in China that truly benefits from the authoritarian state’s micromanagement. 

 

Despite the issues of the Swansea Bay, the UK is internationally recognised as the global market leader in marine power technology, and plans to install 2000 MW by 2020. The Chinese government has already invested 100 million GBP (1 million RMB) in tidal and wave energy projects since 2010, and continues to seek cooperation with UK innovators. The “China Prosperity Strategic Programme”, set up by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, aims to encourage cooperation between Chinese and UK firms in the field of science and technology. 

 

According to the China-Britain Business Council, China represents a golden opportunity for UK companies investing in the research and development of marine power technology. With over 180,000 kilometres of coastline and a potential of 209 GW of marine energy, China is geographically as well as politically prepared for an influx of British innovation. 

 

Chinese renewables are sold in more than five continents, and the impact of Chinese manufacturing as democratised the use of solar panels world-wide. In order to influence this new trend of “Made in China” renewables, global innovators are flocking to try and test their products in the Chinese investment environment. However, in the tidal energy sector, only one Chinese company features in the list of known developers published by the European Marine Energy Centre, signifying a potential niche for Sino-Foreign technology share. 

 

In China, planning is already underway for three marine energy testing sites in Shandong, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces. The projects are supported by a specific government fund established to finance marine renewable energy projects; thus far over 100 million GBP (1 billion RMB) has been invested in the sites. 

 

Many foreign-owned companies are currently in negotiation with local energy suppliers, to establish marine energy projects along China’s vast coastline. Tidal energy developers in the UK could benefit from Chinese government support for producing and testing marine energy projects across the country. The opportunities are arising, and UK companies could stand to seriously benefit from a renewed emphasis on marine energy.