Standard content for Members only
To continue reading this article, please login to your Utility Week account, Start 14 day trial or Become a member.
If your organisation already has a corporate membership and you haven’t activated it simply follow the register link below. Check here.
The Crown Estate, which manages the UK seabed, took a step towards the UK’s first wave and tidal array today, by confirming leasing agreements for new wave and tidal stream energy sites, as well as plans for a future leasing round for tidal range projects.
The estate has set out agreements which will help bring forward five new wave and tidal stream project sites, each with the potential to deliver between 10 and 30 MW. There are currently no arrays of multiple devices in UK waters, only installations of single devices.
The Crown Estate has also confirmed seabed rights for six new wave and tidal stream demonstration zones to bring forward new wave and tidal stream technologies. For the first time, locally-based organisations will be able to manage and sub-let parts of the seabed to a range of wave and tidal stream developers.
The Crown Estate’s director of energy and infrastructure, Rob Hastings, said: “By providing these additional seabed rights we are pleased to be enabling further technology development and commercialisation, which will be critical if the UK is to unlock its significant natural resources for wave and tidal current energy.
“This innovative approach to leasing the seabed sees us responding to market demand and introducing managed demonstration zones to give other organisations the opportunity to lend tangible support in their local areas.”
Greg Barker, Minister for Energy and Climate Change said: “Today’s announcement is a great step for the development of wave and tidal stream industries. Wave and tidal stream are growing green, clean energy sources which have the potential to sustain thousands of jobs in a sector worth, from exports alone, a possible £4 billion per annum by 2050.”
The renewables industry welcomed the move. The Renewable Energy Association’s head of marine renewable Dr Stephanie Merry said: “Today’s news is a huge boost for efforts to use our seas to deliver low-carbon, home-grown energy to reduce damage to the climate and improve our energy security.
“The wave and tidal sector is racing to get that first multiple device array into the water. Once the first one is deployed, potential investors will be more confident about funding further projects. It’s helpful to have the seabed rights for such projects all tied up already.
“The plans for tidal range energy are just as exciting. In the past, tidal range had all its eggs in the Severn Barrage basket, but now the Crown Estate looks set to unlock the potential of several smaller sites across England and Wales, just as the REA has recommended. Even a project a fifth of the size of the Severn Barrage would provide one per cent of UK electricity, so environmentally appropriate tidal barrages and lagoons are a prize well worth pursuing.”
Please login or Register to leave a comment.