![]() ![]() The WEDUSEA project’s first aim will demonstrate a grid connected 1MW OE35 floating WED at the European Marine Energy Centre Test Site in Orkney, Scotland.Īgain, the battle between capacity, pace and cash seems key. Wave pressures at the submerged opening cause the water to oscillate and drive the trapped air through a turbine to generate electricity. The floating WED incorporates a trapped air volume with the lower part open to the sea. OceanEnergy has developed the OE35, which is the world’s largest capacity floating oscillating water column wave energy device (WED). It is co-ordinated by the Irish company OceanEnergy and co-funded by the EU Horizon Europe Programme and by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. It is a collaboration between 14 partners, spanning industry and academia from across the UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Spain. Tidal power in the EU: 17 projects in progressīig news has come recently from the EU in September Wedusea launched a four-year $20.3m project aiming to be the stepping stone towards large scale wave and tidal energy commercialisation. QED’s cash has come from over a thousand investors via crowdfunding platforms. In Scotland, reports say QED Naval has netted more than $1.8m in new tidal funding, as it looks to develop its portfolio including a site off the west coast of Scotland. The promise is that turbines beneath the bay will harness enough energy to power 600,000 homes. A new UK project called Centre Port involves some $2.4bn for a tidal barrage in the Wash, a bay in East Anglia, UK. This indicates an LCOE reduction exceeding 40% with little to no revenue support since 2016. In the UK in 2022, four projects, generating a total of 4.08MW,were awarded contracts for difference at $213/MWh, to start operation between 2025-27. In 2018, ORE Catapult estimated the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) at $359/MWh. Yet the industry has still shown significant cost reduction ability. This has slowed down investment and technology development, compared to alternatives like solar and offshore wind that have benefited from significant public development funding and energy generation subsidy. ORE says in 2020, the European industry hit a milestone of 60GWh of production.ĭespite this, ORE calls political support for the sector inconsistent. ORE Catapult is a UK technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy. Tidal development in the UK: A new round of projects Such generation growth would require an average 1GW of capacity additions annually until 2030, creating an opportunity for tidal power to expand to reach such a demand. ![]() This is not expected to be achieved in the immediate years ahead either. The IEA says marine power’s status remains “not on track” because it is far from being aligned with the sustained annual growth of 33% through 2030. This could be why states like New Jersey are finally coming to the rescue money is needed and the curve to grow tidal power to hit the necessary targets is steep. With the total value of the global tidal power industry estimated at around $41bn, and the European sector alone able to provide one-tenth of the continent’s power demand by 2050, there is optimism for tidal power both as a cornerstone of the energy mix, and a reliable investment for those interested in turning a profit.īut demonstration and small commercial marine projects, says the IEA, remain expensive because the economies of scale necessary for significant cost reductions have not yet been realised. Projects such as these are important milestones, but more must be done to expand the role of tidal power in the world’s energy mix. Last year, the world’s “largest” tidal power facility began producing power for the UK, adding just 2GW of power to the grid, enough to power 2,000 homes. The move could be significant to help usher in a new generation of tidal power projects, which have long held significant potential, much of which has yet to be realised. Credit: Hydrowing.Įarlier this year, the US state of New Jersey passed legislation promising financial incentives for regional tidal power projects, to the approval of local companies. Tidal power projects take several forms, with varying levels of development across the world. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |