These two days spent among Channel stakeholders, may they be energy experts, scholars or local authorities representatives, have let to fruitful exchanges on the future of energy in the Channel area. What was at stake ? Thinking the major tendencies of the next 50 years, based on signs that are already detectable today. Energy production determiners are no longer the same as they were in the 1950s. Raw materials availability, production and transport costs, effects on, climate change and on people's health are new factors that must nowadays be taken into account.

Renewable energies at the heart of the debate

Thus, the debate revolved around the considerable potential of France and the United Kingdom in the renewable energy sector, especially in the Channel area. As a matter of fact, they represent one of the most important reserve of wind energy in Europe, as well as 80% of the european potential in the tidal energy realm. Furthermore, even if it is far from being operational, work on the transformation of algae into biofuel seems promising.

Being able to influence the Channel area's energetic future

Questions like energy storage, the place and role of fossile fuels and nuclear energy, of energy production's social acceptability, or of firms' growing awareness regarding the reduction of their energy consumption have been debated and will probably lead to future cooperation projects.

Political choice at the regional, national and european levels will determine the energetic future of this area. Highligting what is at stake as well as stakeholders' expectations are essential steps so as to influence the next relevant developments.

Let us meet on 22nd November 2011 in Rennes at the next Cross-Channel Forum for the presentation of this work's achievement to be the "integrated maritime strategy" document for the Channel.