New wave of tidal energy for county (From Western Telegraph)

New wave of tidal energy for county

5:10pm Saturday 12th May 2012 in News

A lease has been agreed for a second larger scale tidal energy project off the St Davids peninsula.

The Crown Estate’s decision to grant a lease agreement means Tidal Energy Limited (TEL), and its parent company Eco2, can take the first steps to develop their second project, a tidal energy array located off St David’s Head.

TEL has already secured permission and funding for a £12million test project in Ramsey Sound for a 1.2MW prototype DeltaStream device, but the new proposals are for an array up to 10MW planned for 2016/2017.

If the second project gains all necessary consents, the company should be granted a full lease enabling it to construct and operate the tidal energy array.

TEL managing director, Martin Murphy said: “The waters off Pembrokeshire are ideally suited to tidal energy development, and we are looking forward to working in this area again in the near future.

“We are going to use the experience we gain from the first 12 months of the demonstration site in Ramsey Sound to develop the pre-commercial farm off St David’s Head.”

Invented by Pembrokeshire engineer Richard Ayre, DeltaStream is designed to generate electricity from its three horizontal axis turbines.

The device has been designed to be easily installed, with minimal impact on the environment and without the need for a positive anchoring system.

The news has been welcomed by environment minister John Griffiths who said: “We believe that Wales has the potential to be a world-leader in the marine energy market as a significant generator and, just as importantly, as an exporter of marine energy knowledge, technologies and services.

“This signal from the Crown Estate is a positive next step in helping us to realise this ambition.

Not only is it great news for Tidal Energy Ltd, it is also great news for marine energy in Wales and for the wider Welsh economy.”