The Tidal Power Commission: Establishment, Membership and Terms of Reference

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A decision made (05/05/2009) regarding: The Tidal Power Commission: Establishment, Membership and Terms of Reference.

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2009-0093
Decision Summary Title	Tidal Power Commission		Date of Decision Summary:	5th May 2009
Decision Summary Author:	Assistant Director for Environmental Policy		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title	The establishment and terms of reference of the Tidal Power Commission		Date of Written Report:	1st May 2009
Written Report Author:	Assistant Director for Environmental Policy		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: The establishment, membership and terms of reference of ‘The Tidal Power Commission
Decision(s): 1. The Minister for Planning and Environment has established the first phase of a ‘Tidal Power Commission’ to produce recommendations to the Minister in respect of a fully mandated Tidal Power Commission. 2. The membership comprises: Constable Dan Murphy (Chairman); Sir Nigel Broomfield; Alick McIntosh; Mike Liston. 3. Officer support will be from Chris Newton (Director for the Environment) and Louise Magris (Assistant Director for Environmental Policy) 4. There is no budget attaching to this work but the group can discuss the need to commission any further external work with the Environment Director. 5. The Terms of Reference for the Group for phase one are: By the end of July 2009 produce a report for the Minister that sets out the following and makes recommendations, in respect of: The most cost-effective way of assessing the strength of the tidal flows around the Island of Jersey and to recommend how a survey should be conducted and funded: Whether there are any legal obstacles to the states of jersey exploiting the sea bed around Jersey for the production of renewable energy; The Structure and scope of the commission in the second phase. This information will allow the Minister to bring to the States of Jersey for debate a comprehensive plan for future action.
Reason(s) for Decision: To begin a work stream that will deliver the recommendations of the ‘Tidal Power Steering Group’ (convened under MD-PE-2008-0153) in respect of the future opportunities for Jersey to exploit utility scale renewable energy and in particular tidal power. This is in line with the stated goal of energy policy for Jersey (as recommended in the Energy Green Paper ‘Fuel for Thought?’) to achieve ‘secure, affordable and sustainable energy’.
Resource Implications: None
Action required: 1. The Minister to agree the establishment and terms of reference of the first phase of the ‘Tidal Power Commission’. 2. The Minister will announce the establishment of phase one of the Commission 3. The Director of the Environment to communicate the terms of reference to the group’s members.
Signature: Senator F E Cohen		Position: Minister
Date Signed:		Date of Decision

The Tidal Power Commission: Establishment, Membership and Terms of Reference

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT

ENVIRONMENT DIVISION

Tidal Power Commission

(Public)

Purpose of the Report

To establish the membership and terms of reference for the first phase of the Tidal Power Commission.

Background

In July 2008 the Minister for Planning and Environment set up the ‘Tidal Power Steering Group’ (MD-PE-2008-0153) to investigate further the potential for utility scale renewable energy for Jersey and in particular tidal power. That Group provided a report (Tidal Power for Jersey – Options and Opportunities?) to the Minister in December 2008 with the unanimous conclusion that tidal power could, in the medium term, make a significant and increasing contribution to the energy requirements and security of the Island for the rest of this century.

Furthermore, they recommended that the possibility should be actively pursued by an appropriately qualified and mandated group that would have a remit to:

Investigate funding options around the environmental and technical investigations;
Investigate the legislative and commercial framework necessary to attract resource developers;
Liaise with our neighbouring jurisdictions to explore potential collaborations both in harnessing the resource and selling to potential markets.

Conclusion

It will be for the Minister for Planning and Environment to bring a report and proposition to the States for debate in respect of a mandated group or ‘Commission’ in due course.

However, prior to the establishment of such a mandated Commission there is a need to investigate some further issues. Thus the first phase of a Tidal Power Commission is being established with the intention of investigating :

The most cost-effective way of assessing the strength of the tidal flows around the Island of Jersey and to recommend how a survey should be conducted and funded;
Whether there are any legal obstacles to the states of jersey exploiting the sea bed around Jersey for the production of renewable energy;
The Structure and scope of the commission in the second phase.

The Minister will receive the recommendations of the first phase of the Commission by the end of July 2009. Once this information is available, the Minister for Planning and Environment will bring to the States a comprehensive plan for future action covering the membership of the Commission and its responsibilities, the legislative and regulatory framework, guidance on public-private partnerships and cost and profit sharing, the structure of the Government’s involvement with the project, impact on the environment he views of other potential partners including the other Channel islands, the British and French Governments and EDF.

The membership of the Commission’s first phase will comprise: Constable Dan Murphy (Chairman); Sir Nigel Broomfield; Alick McIntosh and Mike Liston.

Officer support will be from Chris Newton (Director for the Environment) and Louise Magris (Assistant Director for Environmental Policy)

Recommendation

The Minister is asked to agree the outlined establishment, membership and terms of reference for the First Phase of the Tidal Power Commission.
.

Written by:	Assistant Director for Environmental Policy

Approved by:	Director of Environment

Decision ref: MD-PE-2009-0093

1st May 2009