The forecast for renewable marine energy in Falmouth, and across Cornwall, is set fair after the announcement of a new business hub and the renewal of an offshore testing platform.

Last week the government announced that Marine Hub Cornwall, based across sites at Falmouth Docks, Hayle and Tolvaddon, had officially gone live as an Enterprise Zone, further boosting Cornwall’s status as a world-class centre for green marine technology.

The designation is aimed at bringing together businesses and expertise in the marine renewables and technology sector, helping to attract investment and create well-paid jobs, with the centrepiece of Wave Hub off Hayle, the world's largest wave energy testing facility.

Sarah Newton, the MP for Truro and Falmouth, played a key role in securing the region's designation as the UK’s first marine energy park.

She said: “Cornwall is a global player in marine renewables and the wider marine technology sector.

“Marine Hub Cornwall will build on previous successes and provide a great platform for businesses to grow, create well-paid jobs and work together to attract further world-class talent and investment.”

Enterprise Zones are areas designed to foster business and industry by offering business rates and tax discounts along with simplified planning rules and government support for rolling out superfast broadband.

Another announcement this week came from Falmouth Harbour Commissioners and the University of Exeter, who have renewed the lease on the FaBTest marine technology testing site in Falmouth Bay.

The harbour commissioners have agreed a new five year lease with The Crown Estate to continue using an area of the bay for FaBTest, which since 2011 has seen two different technologies deployed on site for a total of over thirty months.

The test site is also one of the assets identified by the recently launched European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funded Marine-i project to stimulate marine innovation.

Prof. Lars Johanning, Marine-i lead and FaBTest project manager for Exeter University, said: “The site offers a combination of both shelter from prevailing wind and swell direction, enabling the high levels of accessibility to deployed devices required for device development, yet giving exposure to significant sea states allowing devices to generate significant electricity. This unique feature of the test site is elementary in the development of the marine energy sector, and an important selling point for the South West region.”

Captain Mark Sansom, Harbour Master and chief executive of Falmouth Harbour Commissioners, said: “We are delighted to have been able to renew the lease for the FaBTest Site which we believe has already demonstrated its importance to the development of wave energy. We look forward to supporting the university with its management of the site and are confident that it will fulfil its potential as a local and regional asset for the testing of new devices.”