Photo left to right: Dave Jones – Public Affairs and Policy Wales, The Crown Estate, Saul Young – Test Site Manager, META, Don Harty – Asset Adviser, New Energies Team, The Crown Estate
Wales’ Marine Energy Test Area (META), has secured a one-year investment from The Crown Estate, strengthening its position as a nationally significant asset for marine energy innovation.
The investment will help sustain META’s operations and support the development and testing of the next generation of clean energy technologies, helping to accelerate the UK’s transition to net zero.
Located in and around the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, META, Wales’ national marine energy test centre, plays a critical role in advancing innovation across the sector. It offers eight unique, pre-consented sites for at-sea testing of devices and components.
By providing access to these dedicated test sites, alongside extensive marine data and operational support, META helps reduce the time, risk and cost associated with technology deployment, enabling early-stage testing for wave, tidal, floating offshore wind and offshore hydrogen components.
Since 2021, META has supported 16 technology deployments, resulting in 76 months of site occupancy by technology developers and researchers. Across these test programmes, developers and researchers have collectively spent more than £10 million, the majority of which was in Wales.
Alongside financial support from Welsh Government, The Crown Estate’s investment will enable META to support further deployments, enhance marine data collection and environmental monitoring capabilities, strengthen supply chain growth and continue its programme of community and education engagement across Pembrokeshire.
META’s Test Site Manager Saul Young said, “This investment from The Crown Estate represents a significant vote of confidence in META and the role that real-sea testing facilities play in accelerating the marine energy sector.
META is now a well-established part of the global test centre network, and this long-term support will allow us to continue providing vital infrastructure for technology developers and researchers.
This funding comes at a critical moment for META, Wales and for the whole of the UK, as we accelerate the development and deployment of net zero technologies, helping to meet our climate targets while strengthening energy security.”
Sol Anitua, Head of Infrastructure & Energies at The Crown Estate, said: “Marine energy is a real opportunity for Wales, helping to bring jobs, investment and new technology to coastal communities like Pembrokeshire, whilst also helping to support UK energy security.
Test centres like META are essential to that success — they give innovators an opportunity to trial new technology, helping speed up its journey from idea to reality. We’re pleased to be supporting META as it continues this important work.”