“This is a very exciting step forward for tidal power in the UK” said Dr Stephanie Merry, the Head of Marine Renewables at the Renewable Energy Association (REA). “The Crown Estate engages very constructively with industry in these leasing processes, and is a valuable partner to the sector.”
Dr Merry has been working with the Isle of Wight Council on the Solent Energy Centre project since 2006.
“The projects which have got the green light today demonstrate the diversity and vibrancy of the marine renewables sector” she added. “The Scotrenewables project, which is looking to increase the output of its device 120-fold, is commendably ambitious. The Solent Energy Centre will help bring forward yet more innovative and ambitious projects of this kind. And the Minesto project in Strangford Lough we hope will benefit from the experience of the neighbouring SeaGen project, which has been a major learning process in managing EU Marine Protection Sites for both industry and regulators. Today’s announcement will ensure the creation of a significant number of green jobs, and enable tidal power to play a significant role in meeting our carbon and renewable energy targets.”
The Crown Estate has also confirmed that three organisations have secured rights to progress with the development of tidal energy projects at sites around the UK. The announcement of these three projects signals the continued growth in both interest in the development of marine renewables across the whole of the UK and in the variety of ways in which organisations are looking to support the needs of the industry as it continues to grow.
The sites have been awarded as a result of the fourth application window in The Crown Estate's leasing process, for projects in connection with the Scottish Government's Saltire Prize (in Scottish waters) and demonstration projects (all around the UK), which opened in April 2012.
The Isle of Wight Council has secured an Agreement for Lease for a managed testing facility, called the Solent Ocean Energy Centre, located off the south of the Isle of Wight near St. Catherine's Point. The Centre creates a new opportunity for technology developers to test tidal stream turbines, building knowledge and experience of installation, operations and maintenance. The project forms part of the Council'sEco Islandsustainability initiative.
Orkney-based Scotrenewables Tidal Power has secured an Agreement for Lease to develop a 30 MW tidal stream array at Lashy Sound, in the Orkney Islands. This follows the company testing a 250 kW device at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney from March 2011 onwards. The Lashy Sound project will help Scotrenewables to move its technology from prototype to commercialisation. The award follows a review by The Crown Estate of the Pentland Firth strategic area earlier this year.
Swedish technology developer Minesto has secured a lease to deploy a quarter-scale (3 kW) prototype of its Deep Green Ocean Kite in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. This follows tests of its SeaKite tidal technology in the Lough during 2011-12. The new prototype will be deployed for two years and advance Minesto's plans towards demonstration of a commercial model. The Northern Ireland Department of the Environment has already issued a consent for the project.
“We are pleased to conclude negotiations for these projects, which will play an important role in facilitating further research and development, testing and commercialisation of tidal energy technologies” said Paul Catterall, Wave and Tidal Development Manager at The Crown Estate. “The awards take the total number of UK wave and tidal sites under development or operation to 41. The Crown Estate is continuing to support growth of the emerging industry and we will be announcing next steps in leasing wave and tidal sites in due course.”
These new agreements for lease will enable the developers to proceed further with their projects, consulting local stakeholders, completing survey work and preparing applications to obtain consents from the relevant authorities, including the Marine Management Organisation and Marine Scotland. If consents are granted for the Solent Ocean Energy Centre and Lashy Sound project, The Crown Estate will be able to grant leases to enable construction and operation of the schemes.
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