The British crown estate is set to invest $32 million into wave and tidal projects in the United Kingdom.

The industries have suffered from a lack of funding in Great Britain despite the area having some of the best locations for these renewable energy projects.

The crown estate, which owns the seabed around the United Kingdom and therefore stands to greatly benefit from the expansion of marine power, will be a major lift to the sector that was stifled by the 2011 decision to cut the government's fund for marine energy by more than half (Fiona Harvey, London Guardian, Jan. 16).

The United States is also exploring the technology.

Newport, Ore., was selected as the site for the Pacific Marine Energy Center, a joint operation between Oregon State University and the University of Washington that is substantially funded by federal dollars.

The facility about 5 miles from shore will test devices for generating potential and environmental impacts, according to Oregon State AP/San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 15). -- KJ