Energy Resources
Oil
It is known that oil exists in the rock strata beneath the Solent, but the reserves are understood not to be commercially viable at the present time. Oil is vested in the Crown, and only those companies granted a licence through the Department of Energy and Climate Change have the right to carry out exploration and production. There are two systems of licensing for oil exploration: one for onshore, including 'bay closing areas' (such as the Solent and Southampton Water) and one for offshore.
In 1984, Shell UK Ltd was awarded a licence to search for oil and gas in the Solent. The company carried out seismic surveys and a series of environmental studies. They concluded that oil was not available in commercial quantities and the environmental constraints on exploration were too great. Two further licences have been issued in the western Solent to Brabant, and Elf Enterprise was granted licences to the west of the Isle of Wight. No progress has been made with these beyond seismic exploration and test drilling.
Renewables
There are currently no offshore wind, wave or tidal power farms around the Solent. However in January 2010, the Crown Estate announced the successful bids for nine new offshore wind farm zone licences within UK waters . One of the nine is for The Isle of Wight Zone, won by Eneco New Energy. The potential yield at this location is 0.9 gigawatts. The winners have signed exclusive agreements with the Crown Estate, which owns the UK seabed. Proposals for the wind farms will now go through planning and consent stages.
In 2002, the Isle of Wight Council published a 'Renewable Energy Strategy for the Isle of Wight to 2010' that included a feasibility study of adopting wind and tidal power on the Island.
Further information on renewable energy sources can be found on the British Wind Energy Association website and on the Department or Energy and Climate Change (DECC) website. In April 2009, The DECC announced that English and Welsh waters are to be scoped out, for the first time, for their potential to host marine energy devices. A DECC study will look at the potential for wave, tidal-stream and tidal range technologies around the English and Welsh coastline. The Marine Renewables Proving Fund, announced in July 2009 as part of the Government’s Renewable Energy Strategy, will be designed and delivered by the Carbon Trust and will provide finance for the demonstration of wave and tidal technologies.
From 1 April 2010, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is responsible for licensing of offshore energy generating installations including wind farms, wave and tidal devices between 1 and 100 megawatts. Wind farms generating more than 100 megawatts will be licensed by the Infrastructure Planning Commission.
In June 2009, Ofgem and the Department of Energy and Climate Change unveiled the finalised regime for regulating the undersea networks and other infrastructure that will carry power from offshore wind farms. The regime opens the gates for new investors to join a multi-billon-pound programme that will deliver vital contributions in the drive to meet climate change targets and provide secure energy supplies.
