Hydro & Marine News

Monday 08 March 2010

The first phase of onshore construction for the Wave Hub project was completed last month and work began last week on a new electricity sub-station in Hayle

The South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) has revealed that it has appointed renewable energy consultancy PMSS to lead a £100,000 study examining the potential for wave, tidal and offshore wind installations off the South West coast up to 2030.

At last week's RenewableUK conference, the body explained that the project, which is now underway, would be used to inform future investment decisions by the industry.

It will also feed into the ongoing consultation about Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) through the Finding Sanctuary project, which aims to design the zones in the seas around South West England as part of a wider network of Marine Protected Areas - sites at sea set up to protect marine species and habitats.

And, it will also form part of the government's Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) - an assessment of future offshore development prospects in England and Wales, which the energy minister David Kidney last week announced would include wave and tidal for the first time (see this NewEnergyFocus.com story).

Claire Gibson, director of sustainable resources at the South West RDA, said: "The ability to deploy commercial installations is crucial to the development of the marine energy industry in the South West and this study will map the potential over the next 20 years.

"It will provide data invaluable to the industry and will help ensure that marine renewables are given due consideration in future discussions about planning for the South West's marine environment."

She also welcomed the confirmation from government that marine energy will be included in its Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), adding: "We have long championed the need for an SEA as an essential pre-cursor to licensing areas of sea for commercial development, and we look forward to its swift progress."

Andrew Prior, director of environment at PMSS, added: "As a company with offices in the South West of England, PMSS is delighted to be working with the South West RDA to support the deployment of marine renewables and boost the economy of the region."

Welcomed

The RDA's resource study has also been welcomed by Chris Bale, chief executive of Ocean Electric Power, a marine renewable energy project development company based in Plymouth.

Mr Bale said: "Marine renewables is a nascent industry with the potential to make an enormous contribution to tackling climate change and boosting the economy, but it needs support. What's important is that marine spatial planning policy doesn't compromise the emergence of this important sector, so the RDA's study is very timely."

The South West was the first area of the UK to be designated a Low Carbon Economic Area because of its strength in marine renewables in July last year (see this NewEnergyFocus.com story).

Wave Hub

The South West RDA's flagship marine energy project is Wave Hub, which is set to create the world's largest test site for wave energy technology by building a grid-connected socket on the seabed, 10 miles off the coast, to which wave power devices can be connected and their performance evaluated.

At last week's event, the RDA revealed that the first phase of onshore construction was completed last month and work began last week on a new electricity sub-station in Hayle, where Wave Hub's subsea cable will come ashore on the north coast of Cornwall.

The South West RDA claims the £42 million Wave Hub project will be completed this year, with the first wave energy devices expected to be deployed in 2011.