The Crown Estate has announced the successful bidders for the world’s first commercial wave and tidal leasing round at 10 sites in Scotland’s Pentland Firth and Orkney waters.
The successful bids have been selected from 42 applications put forward by 20 developers wishing to install commercial-scale energy generators in Scottish waters.
The 1.2GW of installed capacity proposed by the wave and tidal energy developers for 2020 — 600MW each from wave and tidal — is claimed to be four times the peak output of Dounreay power station; providing enough electricity to meet the needs of up to 750,000 homes.
The developers have signed Agreements for Lease with the Crown Estate to take forward the development of their wave and tidal energy installations. According to the Crown Estate, this will allow developers to enter the statutory consenting process for their sites with security of access to the seabed.
These waters have been described as the Saudi Arabia of marine power
Alex Salmond
Successful wave bids include Aquamarine Power and SSE Renewables Developments, which have been granted leases to develop 200MW for the Brough Head site; and Pelamis Wave Power, which will work with E.ON on two 50MW projects in West Orkney as well as a separate 50MW project at Armadale.
SSE Renewables Developments (UK) has been granted leases to develop 200MW by harnessing tidal energy from the Westray South site; while Marine Current Turbines will develop 100MW at the Brough Ness site.
First minister Alex Salmond said: ‘These waters have been described as the Saudi Arabia of marine power and the wave and tidal projects unveiled today — exceeding the initial 700MW target capacity — underline the rich natural resources of the waters off Scotland.’
Tidal Stream
Tidal stream shallow costs, like wave, are estimated to fall greatly through time from £308 to £504 per MWh at pre-demonstration, through £144 to £213 per MWh at demonstration, eventually down to £100 to £150 per MWh in 2050 (See Figures 2 and 3).
Similarly, tidal stream deep projects are estimated to fall from £456 to £633 per MWh at pre-demonstration, through £210 to £301 per MWh at demonstration, eventually down to £74 to £117 per MWh in 2050.
With reference to Figures 2 and 3, it is envisaged that the initial deployment is largely to occur in shallow waters (<40-50m). Exploitation of deeper tidal stream sites would only follow on later.
Source:
Marine Energy Action Plan 2010, Executive Summary & Recommendations
Clearly the latest developments in wave and tidal energy schemes are to be welcomed.
But please as a publication which may be construed as reflecting Engineers interest and views, lets not over egg the potential.
The comparative reference to 4 times the generating power of Dounreay a dead station ????? is ridiculous …….
The total of all wind schemes by 2020 and all tidal wave schemes by 2050 will leave the UK woefully short or real power generation.
Only coal fired and Nuclear thermal plants can produce the energy to replace the 1 GW we are going to lose every year in the over the next 10 years plus the 10 GW + we have already lost in the last 10, and that can only be made up by substantially sized coal or nuclear thermally powered stations.
So please lets keep the energy issue away from any greenish like aquesences towards replacement by alternatives.
We need bulk power additions in the next 5 to 10 years, not small but nice peripheral additions over the next 10 to 30 years.
Its time the Engineering community put its weight behind this issue for the good of the UK economy and The Engineer needs to front that publicity or change its name ……….
We really needed to build 10 new 2 GW power stations over the last 10 years.
Not to wait 10 to 30 years for the total of alternative power sources to produce 5 to 10 GW as a support supply.
To wait will be folly and those who fail to support those real solutions, will enjoy their own retirement just as the Victorians did.
With environmental nasty oil and wax power ……… just when we should be reducing our real missions………
This is good news but what we really need is the Severn Barage.
No!
Barages are costly and disruptive to water movement and wildlife and are subject like all other surface based concepts to storm damage.
Sea bed installations are the way forward.
See my Sea Slug patent applied for . . . . coming soon.
Seeking financial partner for considerable financial gain possibilty