Research finds tidal stream power could significantly enhance energy security
A 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.
