Helping the hub

Plans for an ambitious, deep-sea electricity socket, that is to be sited in the waters 10 miles off the Cornish coast, moved a step closer today with the announcement of a significant funding boost from the

Marine Renewables Deployment Fund.

If given consent, the Wave Hub scheme that has been spearheaded by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA), will act as a giant extension cable connecting up to four wave energy devices to the national grid.

The government has pledged that if the green light is given to the project it will provide the South West RDA with almost a quarter of the estimated £20 million it will cost to get the Hub into the water and connected to the mainland via an underwater cable that will come ashore at Hayle, Cornwall.

‘The project has still to get through a robust consent process before getting into the water, and to finalise the device developers who will connect to it,’ said Minister for Energy Malcolm Wicks. ‘But if successful, it will be a shining example of UK innovation that could provide three per cent of Cornwall’s electricity needs. That is up 20MW of renewable and secure emission free energy powering 7,500 homes.’

The government’s consultation on the Wave Hub consent application with the relevant stakeholders is due to close on 1 September and a decision is expected by the end of the year.