Waveney MP visits Lowestoft laboratory
Bob Blizzard, MP for Waveney, visited the Cefas Lowestoft laboratory on 30 April to discuss the agency’s latest work. Mr Blizzard met with Peter Greig-Smith, Chief Executive of Cefas, to talk about the range of work being done by the laboratory, which is a major employer in the MP’s constituency. Commercial Director, Brian Robinson, went on to brief Mr Blizzard on a number of Cefas initiatives, and underscored the world-class work being undertaken by the agency.
A presentation by Cefas oceanographer Jon Rees brought Mr Blizzard up to date with issues that have a direct impact on the constituency’s coastline. Jon Rees is the manager of the WaveNet project, which was recently launched at the Oceanology International Conference and Exhibition during National Science Week in mid-March. Mr Blizzard was invited to the launch but was unable to attend the event. Thus, the MP’s visit to the Lowestoft laboratory enabled him to be briefed on the latest developments in this important environmental project.
WaveNet is a new network of satellite-linked buoys in the waters around England and Wales. Six near-shore ‘SmartBuoys’, designed and implemented by Cefas scientists, form the backbone of WaveNet. The SmartBuoys are rigged up with monitoring equipment that can measure wave height and currents; sea temperature; wind direction; and chemical, physical and biological changes in the sea. Data is automatically transmitted every 30 minutes to the WaveNet website (www.cefas.co.uk/wavenet) which provides free, publicly accessible, real-time data on wave height and direction from over 20 marine monitoring stations.
Jon Rees also gave a presentation on the impact of wind farms out at sea, most notably the Scroby Sands project which is located in the North Sea just 15 miles north of Lowestoft. This wind farm will provide electricity for 41,000 homes. Jon’s presentation covered the effects of wind turbines anchored on the seabed. The long-term future for wind farms and the gains that might result from large farm placements at strategic points around the UK were also discussed.
Mr Blizzard is keen to promote the Lowestoft area as the ‘leading edge’ in offshore wind energy development, so he was particularly interested to hear more about our research in this area. In a recent House of Commons debate on the government’s Energy Bill Bob Blizzard said ‘We have expertise from the offshore sector from firms like SLP and also Cefas, a world leader in the environmental assessment and research needed to develop offshore wind. In short, offshore wind is my constituency’s great hope for the future.’
