Some people here seem to be fearful of the Brexit situation, at...

Some people here seem to be fearful of the Brexit situation, at least as it affects CWE. It should be recognised that the EU exists to facilitate economic progress, efficient commercial flow and ultimate well being for the good burghers within its boundaries. Mutual cooperation aids this. The EU needs reliable independent sources of clean energy and this is copiously available on the coasts facing the Atlantic. The UK will therefore become a major marine energy supplier. For the EU to cut itself off from the UK would be akin to shooting itself in the foot.

Consider also the normal procedures that are in place for large EU projects. Cooperation agreements are funded by predetermined fractional contributions from the participant countries. (The fractions are automatic and require no haggling.) Some projects may take many years to complete or remain ongoing. Contracts must be fulfilled. If one participant stubs its toe it cannot just decide to take the bat and ball and go home. There are various examples such as the Commission for Environment, Climate Change and Energy, the European Space Agency, the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency, with specific functions to implement EU policies. Whether the UK wishes to continue to participate in any or all these endeavours is to be determined over the next few years.

Note that the UK will not even officially inform the EU of its intention to withdraw until March 2017. They then have at least two years to chat about mutual interests and arrangements.

We are dealing with long time scales here and the UK is in the box seat for marine energy. Most of that will come from Scotland so that the UK parliament has to be sensitive to any threat of Scottish secession. Hence everyone is highly likely to continue to support funding for the leading contenders in marine energy. I’m looking forward to a funding statement for the first CETO 6 model at WaveHub.

Juke