The success of the tidal turbine in Strangford Lough should be copied across the UK, Energy minister Lord Hunt said.
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Lord Hunt said wave and tidal power could produce enough energy for up to 15 million homes, provide thousands of jobs and slash emissions by mid-century.
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Speaking at Strangford Lough, home of the world's first operating commercial-scale tidal stream turbine, the minister launched a UK-wide action plan for developing the industry which, he believes, could provide clean and secure energy and export opportunities.
SeaGen is the largest marine powered turbine in the world connected to an electricity grid.
"We are very close to getting to the stage of having delivered 1000MWh into the grid which is a big milestone. I think if we can do 1000 MWh into the grid we can do one million MWh into the grid", Peter Fraenkel from Marine Current Turbines said.
Exploiting marine energy's full potential could save up to 70 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2050 and create as many as 16,000 jobs, with a quarter of them in the export sector, according to the Government.
The marine energy action plan recommends incentives for marine power, targeted funding to help the developing sector where the market does not, building a supply chain, leveraging private investment and establishing guidelines for new technologies.
"I think I have seen the future", Lord Hunt told UTV.
"This is a fantastic engineering feat and it works and it is contributing electricity to the grid."
"Harnessing the power of our seas will help us reduce our carbon emissions, provide clean, green, secure and reliable energy, create jobs and provide export opportunities", he added.
"This action plan sets out our vision for what marine energy can do for the UK and what we need to do to make it happen."
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