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The investment, which was agreed this week by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA), means Wave Hub has the necessary 拢28 million needed to build it, subject to final Government and EU approval. The rest of the funding has already been secured.

Wave Hub could be built as early as next summer if Ministers give it planning permission. A decision is expected by June.

The project is being promoted by the South West RDA and aims to put South West England at the forefront of emerging wave energy technology.

It will provide a high voltage cable 10 miles out to sea and connected to the National Grid. Companies will be able to test their wave energy devices in a leased and consented area of sea on a scale never seen anywhere before.

The investment has been welcomed by Matthew Spencer, chief executive of Regen SW, the renewable energy agency for South West England.

He said: 鈥淭his is public sector investment at its best 鈥� taking the long view, taking risks the private sector can鈥檛 take, and making significant investment in the technology we need to tackle climate change. Wave hub will help make the UK the location of choice for companies developing wave energy, and should see British and overseas businesses making long term investments in Cornwall.鈥�

Maria McCaffery, CEO of BWEA, stated:"This pioneering project is crucial for the success of wave energy development, not just in the UK but around the world. These funds represent a strong signal of intent from the South West RDA to help Britain retain its lead in this rapidly emerging, and potentially huge, clean energy industry and we look forward to welcoming the necessary consent to build, so that momentum can be maintained for UK marine renewables."

Three wave energy companies are already working with the RDA to use Wave Hub, and a fourth will soon be selected.

Today鈥檚 funding announcement coincides with the publication of an independent report into Wave Hub鈥檚 possible impact on surf conditions on parts of Cornwall鈥檚 coastline.

Dr Kerry Black, the New Zealand-based physical oceanographer, has concluded that the impact on wave height would be less than five per cent 鈥� or less than five centimetres off a metre-high wave. This is in line with the RDA鈥檚 own findings and far less than the 11 per cent feared previously by some surfers.