South West England could lead the world in generating clean and secure electricity from the seas, according to a report.

The 'Tidal Power in the UK' report by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), was part funded by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) and was a year in the making. It concluded that around 10 per cent of the UK’s electricity needs could be met from harnessing the power of the tides.

The Severn Estuary is identified as having 80 per cent of the UK's tidal range resource, making South West England internationally significant for tidal energy.

Areas further out in the Bristol Channel and off Portland on the Dorset coast are identified as having important tidal current resources.

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The SDC report lays out a series of recommendations for Government on how to develop the UK’s tidal power resources in a sustainable manner.

These include recommendations on the possible construction of a barrage across the Severn Estuary that would retain water on the rising tide and release it in a controlled fashion through hydro-electric turbines to generate up to five per cent of the UK's electricity needs. Numerous proposals for such a barrage have been developed over the years but as yet none have been taken forward.

Jonny Boston, Energy Manager of the South West RDA, said: "We welcome the SDC's report, and the contribution it makes to understanding the role that the tidal power could play in the development of a sustainable economy in the South West England. Marine energy is a priority area for the RDA, and we have provided some funding towards the study due to the unique tidal resources that exist around the coastline of our region."

Mr Boston added: "We have recently been given planning permission by Ministers to construct our Wave Hub project, which will create the world’s largest wave farm off the north coast of Cornwall, and we have just announced a £1.4 million investment in a new £15m marine renewables research institute based in Cornwall and Devon.

"Taken together, these projects reinforce South West England’s leading role in the development of marine energy."

(JM)