British sea power

The government wants to build up a marine-energy industry

THE British have always looked to the sea to protect them from the earth’s dangers. The ocean is a handy deterrent to foreign armies, but it is useful for other things too. In the midst of the energy crisis of the 1970s, there was much talk that marine energy would let its possessors break free of OPEC. With the arrival of North Sea oil, marine energy was forgotten. But 35 years later, with North Sea oil in decline, climate change a big issue and wind farms facing lengthy planning delays, sea power is back on the agenda.
On September 17th the government announced that planning permission had been given for Wave Hub, a