TIGER project is driving growth of tidal energy in UK and France
/in Uncategorized /by Faith McMath
The Tidal Stream Industry Energiser Project (TIGER) that launched in 2019 to drive tidal energy growth in the UK and France, has successfully demonstrated the significant value tidal stream energy can bring to the future energy mix, economies and supply chains in both the UK and France.
TIGER is the largest project funded by the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme, with €48.4 million invested to drive collaboration and cost reduction through tidal turbine installations in the UK and France.
The project, led by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, has enabled installation of four new tidal stream energy devices at test sites in and around the Channel region, with a further 16 in development. This has created a total of 3.6 MW new tidal capacity, with a further 57.4 MW in the pipeline.
Instrumental to the success of the project was collaboration between the 18 TIGER partners across the UK and France, spanning turbine developers, ocean energy demonstration sites, research organisations, and local and regional authorities, each supporting the tidal industry as it moves towards commercialisation.
To find out more go to www.interregtiger.com
Research finds tidal stream power could significantly enhance energy security
/in Uncategorized /by Faith McMathA study published in the journal Applied Energy, and focused on the Isle of Wight, has found that installing tidal stream systems, in addition to solar and offshore windfarms is around 25% more effective at balancing supply with demand. This is as opposed to relying on solar and wind technologies alone.
The research concludes that adopting tidal power can significantly enhance energy security and enable communities to fulfil their clean energy ambitions.
The Isle of Wight has plans to create renewable energy and achieve its net zero emissions by 2040. Our PTEC project could play a leading role in that – as documented here on our site.
A full report on the research can be found on Offshore Energy. An excerpt of the story is shared below:
To understand some of the challenges of achieving the island’s goals, researchers developed a model which takes into account the need for supply-demand balancing, the whole-system cost of energy, and the spatial coverage of the renewable energy projects.
They found that installing 150MW of solar power, 150MW of offshore wind, and 120MW of tidal stream capacity maximises both supply-demand balancing, and the magnitude of maximum power surplus – by 25% relative to the best performing solar and wind systems.
Tidal stream adoption also minimizes the magnitude of maximum power shortages and surpluses across the year by 11% and 24% respectively, the research states.
The study was led by Danny Coles, research fellow on the Interreg’s TIGER project at the University of Plymouth, working with the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), HydroWing, Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre, and the University of Edinburgh.
Coles said: “Tidal stream energy provides a predictable, reliable source of renewable power that, if harnessed, can complement the variability of wind and solar. Unlike wind and sun, the tides are present every day of the year. Our results show that adopting a combination of all three can reduce reliance on imported power and volatile prices.
“This is particularly relevant to the current energy landscape, when cold weather is increasing heating demand and millions will be paid to use less electricity to avoid blackouts.”
“As the transition to net-zero energy continues, there is a need to better understand how to build system resilience to overcome periods of high demand and low wind resource. While it is well understood that tidal stream power is predictable and reliable, this research quantifies the system benefits that predictable and reliable tidal supply can provide.”
The research is already being used by the Isle of Wight Council and Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks to assess the scope of work needed for grid upgrades on the island.
The results are also being used by Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) in a whole-system study that builds on the research builds on the research and focuses on the island’s entire electricity system.
Sustainable Marine deliver first floating tidal power to Nova Scotia grid
/in Uncategorized /by Faith McMathSplash247.com has today published an article about Sustainable Marine who has successfully harnessed the enormous tidal currents in Canada’s Bay of Fundy to deliver the first floating in-stream tidal power to Nova Scotia’s grid.
The company’s CEO, Jason Hayman, said this achievement marks a significant milestone both for the company and Canada’s broader marine energy ambitions. It demonstrates that the Bay of Fundy’s huge tidal energy resource – which contains more than four times the combined flow of every freshwater river in the world – can be effectively harnessed. It could, according to the company, provide up to 2500MW of clean and predictable energy for Canada.
“Achieving ‘first power’ to the grid from our new platform in Grand Passage … crystalizes the journey we’ve been on, following almost a decade of rigorous research, development and testing,” said Hayman.
“The project has enabled Sustainable Marine to gradually acquire skills and resources to deliver turnkey projects, including a multipurpose construction vessel called the Tidal Pioneer, and a suite of remotely operated subsea installation machines supporting our Swift Anchors technology.”
Hayman said the company is actively monitoring the project for interactions with marine animals, and will build up power production in stages.
To see this article online, please visit: splash247.com/sustainable-marine-delivers-first-floating-tidal-power-to-nova-scotia-grid/
Isle of Wight tidal power initiative gains full approval
/in Uncategorized /by Faith McMathPlanning permission was granted yesterday, 14 December, for the onshore elements of a ground-breaking tidal energy generation project: Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre. The Isle of Wight Council has unanimously approved the construction of a substation within the Southern Water Services compound to the west of Ventnor.
This approval is a huge boost to the UK’s renewable energy sector. PTEC now has all the consents in place to proceed with their proposal – England’s first multi megawatt tidal stream power generation project. By placing tidal turbines in the sea off the south coast of the Isle of Wight, the project will supply predictable, renewable energy direct to the national grid.
PTEC, with consenting activities being managed by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), has already signed an agreement with technology developer Orbital Marine Power to deploy its innovative and proven O2 turbine with the project.
This planning approval is particularly timely given the government’s announcement in November that it will support the tidal energy sector. It has committed to give £20 million per year in the next Contracts for Difference (CfD) round, which opened yesterday.
Rob Stevens, Chairman of PTEC, said: “At a time when the world’s reliance on fossil fuels is causing significant challenges, gaining permission for the onshore elements of the PTEC project is of national importance. Tidal energy is now a proven route to continuous, clean energy generation and has enormous potential. The government’s commitment comes at the perfect time, enabling the UK to take advantage of this source of carbon neutral energy generation.
“Once we have government support in place we can start work, with the aim to begin operations in 2025. Throughout the planning process, we’ve offered multiple opportunities and avenues for stakeholders and residents to engage with us, and their feedback has helped us shape our proposal. Going forward regular consultation and engagement will be fundamental to the construction process to make it as smooth as possible.”
This project has been in development since 2012. The local authority originally agreed permission for the onshore elements of the project in June 2015, and the Marine Management Organisation gave the offshore plans the go-ahead in April 2016. However, a change in government policy in 2016 put the plans temporarily on hold. One result of the delay was that the onshore planning application needed to be resubmitted.
Onshore construction work is anticipated to commence in 2023, for completion by 2025. In line with the commitments made during the public consultation process, PTEC will work with local residents and businesses to ensure minimal disturbance.
The PTEC project will bring economic growth to the Isle of Wight, creating an innovative new industry sector for the island and renewed attention to this part of the UK, as well as helping the Isle of Wight Council achieve the targets it has set in its recently published ‘Mission Zero Climate and Environment Strategy 2021 – 2040’.
Prime Minster ‘impressed’ by tidal energy proposals
/in Uncategorized /by Faith McMathThe future for tidal energy gained another boost at Prime Minister’s Question Time this week.
On the back of the COP26 Summit, The Right Honourable Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland, asked Prime Minsister Boris Johnson to support tidal stream projects.
He said: “Now is the moment for turning words into action, and I ask that you create a ringfenced pot for developing tidal stream energy in the next round of Contract for Difference, a decison that has to be taken by the end of the month.”
The Prime Minster replied: “I have heard this point several times from the benches opposite and I am very impressed by the tidal proposals that I have seen… I will certainly go away and look at it again.”
View the question being posed here:
PTEC remains on course to bring forward their tidal project off the Isle of Wight
/in Uncategorized /by Faith McMathFollowing the recent announcement by the UK government that they have issued an intervention notice for the acquisition of Perpetuus Group by Taurus International Ltd and others, PTEC (Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre) would like to confirm that they are not being sold. The intervention notice relates to another company within the group, Perpetuus Advanced Materials, which is run independently.
Rob Stevens, Chairman of PTEC said:
“The PTEC team remains committed to delivering the tidal energy project and is not in any way involved in the sale of any other Perpetuus companies.
Our vitally important project will harness tidal energy as a renewable, reliable source of electricity, generating energy for at least 15 years, providing power to thousands of homes. The green agenda has become even more important since we started work on the project and the timely approval of local planning will pave the way for construction and the exporting of green energy to the grid by 2026, bringing a new clean industry and jobs to the Isle of Wight.”
UK Energy Minister visits EMEC
/in Uncategorized /by Faith McMathThe Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, UK Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change, and David Duguid MP, UK Government Minister for Scotland, visited the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney today to see the developments taking place in ocean energy.
The Ministers were met by Neil Kermode, EMEC’s Managing Director, Richard Graham MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Marine Energy, and various UK Marine Energy Council (MEC) members prior to heading out to sea to visit EMEC’s Fall of Warness tidal test site. Discussions centred around the marine energy sector and the UK’s potential to develop a world leading industry which will contribute to green recovery and the UK Government’s overarching net zero 2050 target.
During the tour, Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Minister David Duguid witnessed tidal turbines by Orbital Marine Power and Magallanes Renovables in action at EMEC’s test site. The Scottish-built Orbital O2 turbine was developed with 80% UK supply chain content highlighting the national opportunities for industry development and positive economic impact. The Spanish-founded ATIR tidal turbine by Magallanes further exemplifies the inward investment and export opportunities for Scotland and the UK.
Upon returning to shore in Kirkwall, they met with EMEC and Orkney Islands Council to discuss marine energy opportunities for Orkney and the archipelago’s wider energy landscape. This was followed by a roundtable lunch with MEC members and ocean energy supply chain companies to discuss the tangible potential ocean energy offers to level up coastal and island areas and to further the just transition as a nascent renewable energy industry with notable export potential for the UK.
Prior to departure, the Ministers also visited EMEC’s hydrogen fuel cell and storage trailers at Kirkwall Pier and were introduced to members of EMEC’s operations team who outlined how the green hydrogen economy is developing in Orkney.
Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said: “The British coastline offers enormous potential for marine power to form part of our transition to a low carbon economy.
“It was a privilege to visit the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney today, to see first-hand the incredible work taking place to develop wave and tidal energy technology, and kick start an entire new renewables industry in the UK.
“Being an island nation means we are in the best position possible to reap the benefits of our natural, renewable resources to produce clean energy, helping us build back greener from the pandemic and reach our ambitious climate goals.”
UK Government Minister for Scotland, David Duguid, said:
“It was great to see EMEC’s tidal test site first-hand and get a feel for the fantastic work taking place in the marine energy sector.
“As we prepare to host COP26 in Glasgow in November the eyes of the world will be on the UK to show leadership and innovation as we work towards our net zero ambitions. Orkney’s marine energy sector has real potential to help create a world-leading clean energy industry, supporting the transition to a greener future while providing a boost to the local economy and community.”
Neil Kermode, Managing Director, EMEC said:
“A visit to Orkney offers a glimpse into our energy future. Orkney is a pathfinder to net zero – a living laboratory with a track record in innovation and a world-leading centre for marine energy. The flexibility, predictability and resilience offered by wave and tidal energy technologies, combined with positive economic impacts for coastal communities make marine energy an important part of the UK’s renewable energy mix. It was fantastic to host Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP and David Duguid MP and showcase the ongoing activities and future potential of both the industry and the archipelago.
“More marine energy devices have been tested at EMEC than at any other single site in the world which has prompted considerable investment and job creation in Orkney, Scotland and throughout the UK. With the right support to help these first-of-a-kind technologies reach commercial scale, we could see that impact replicated around UK waters and be exporting to global markets.”
Sue Barr, Chair, Marine Energy Council, said:
“The Marine Energy Council were delighted to join the Minister on her visit to EMEC where we discussed the extensive opportunities for wave and tidal stream energy in the UK. The visit illustrated the true extent of the sector’s economic potential, with supply chain activities carried out in engineering workshops and manufacturing plants spanning the length and breadth of the UK.
“This domestic sector has the capability to lead the world, making a major contribution to the UK’s net zero targets, green recovery and the levelling-up agenda. We welcomed the opportunity to discuss the value in setting a 1 GW target for marine energy technologies in the 2030s and the necessary revenue support reforms to unlock this sector from Contracts for Difference (AR4) later this year onwards. We look forward to working with the UK Government to deliver upon the potential of the marine energy sector.”
ENDS
Further images are available here
World’s most powerful tidal turbine, the O2, starts exporting clean power.
/in Uncategorized /by Faith McMathOrbital Marine Power’s O2, the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, has commenced grid connected power generation at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney. The innovative, floating turbine is anchored in the Fall of Warness where a subsea cable connects the 2MW offshore unit to the local onshore electricity network.
Manufactured and launched in Dundee earlier in the year before being towed up to Orkney, the O2 is Orbital’s first commercial turbine and represents the culmination of more than 15 years of world leading product development in the UK. The 74m long turbine is expected to operate in the waters off Orkney for the next 15 years with the capacity to meet the annual electricity demand of around 2,000 UK homes with clean, predictable power from the fast-flowing waters. In a further ground-breaking element of the project, the O2 is to provide power to EMEC’s onshore electrolyser to generate green hydrogen that will be used to demonstrate decarbonisation of wider energy requirements.
Orbital CEO, Andrew Scott, said: “This is a major milestone for the O2 and I would like to commend the whole team at Orbital and our supply chain for delivering this pioneering renewable energy project safely and successfully. Our vision is that this project is the trigger to the harnessing of tidal stream resources around the world to play a role in tackling climate change whilst creating a new, low-carbon industrial sector.”
The construction of the O2 turbine was enabled by public lenders through the ethical investment platform, Abundance Investment, as well as being supported by the Scottish Government by the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund. The O2 project has been supported through funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the FloTEC project and the European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg North West Europe Programme under the ITEG project.
Commenting on the news Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Michael Matheson of Scottish Government said: “With our abundant natural resources, expertise and ambition, Scotland is ideally-placed to harness the enormous global market for marine energy whilst helping deliver a net-zero economy. That’s why the Scottish Government has consistently supported the marine energy sector for over 10 years, including through the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge fund, which provided £3.4m for this project.
“The deployment of Orbital Marine Power’s O2, the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, is a proud moment for Scotland and a significant milestone in our journey to net zero. I congratulate Orbital Marine, the European Marine Energy Centre and everyone who has made this achievement possible,” Matheson continued.
Orbital is now setting its sights on commercialising its technology through the deployment of multi-MW arrays. Supporting this endeavour in UK waters would bring substantial benefits beyond complimenting the clean energy transition, as evidenced in the build of the O2; where around 80% of the turbine was delivered by UK suppliers and operation will bring long term employment to coastal communities. As a product of commercialisation costs are projected to fall steeply from roll-out of the technology, as previously demonstrated with wind and solar energy.
On next steps Scott said: “We believe pioneering our vision in the UK can deliver on a broad spectrum of political initiatives across net zero, levelling up and building back better at the same time as demonstrating global leadership in the area of low carbon innovation that is essential to creating a more sustainable future for the generations to come.”
For further information on Orbital Marine Power, please visit – https://orbitalmarine.com/
PTEC and EMEC projects highlighted by climate change YouTube channel
/in Uncategorized /by Faith McMathThe record-breaking energy generation of Orbital O2 is highlighted in a new video from YouTube channel Just Have a Think, as part of a compelling piece of content on the global potential for Tidal Power.
The video, presented by Dave Borlace, highlights both the EMEC and PTEC projects and their role in harnessing this inexhaustible supply of renewable electricity.
View the video here: