Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 1:52 pm on 27 March 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 1:52, 27 March 2019

Thank you. You will be aware that the marine energy summit was held last January—I think in Swansea—and the First Minister, in opening that summit, highlighted the Government's support for the development of a sustainable marine energy sector here in Wales, and, certainly, there are emerging technologies that we need to look at. I know that following the summit the First Minister has written twice to the UK Government, to Greg Clark, highlighting the importance of the marine energy sector to the UK, and particularly to Wales, asking the UK to provide a very clear path to market for marine energy. I think the lack of a strategy in relation to tidal lagoons and tidal energy in the UK Government is clearly an obstacle. There will be a report for the Welsh Government coming from the summit, I think by the end of April, and certainly we'll be making that available to the public, and I think it's really important that we do look at these emerging technologies, particularly around marine energy in Wales. We're very supportive of the economic benefits of tidal lagoons, as you said, and the opportunities to grow a vibrant marine industry, and that's why I was very keen to have a national marine plan.