Harnessing the Seas
This article was first published in the May/June 2006 edition of Green Futures
magazine. www.greenfutures.org.uk
Let’s put our energy behind marine power, says
Sue Barr of Entec.
A bright future for marine energy lies ahead, according to a recent Carbon
Trust report. Energy captured from waves and tides, says the Marine Energy
Challenge’s report, has the potential to provide up to 20% of the UK’s
current electricity needs, and 3% of our total electricity supply by 2020.
That’s not surprising if you remember that the UK, with its estuaries, exposed coastal locations and open ocean, has the best wave and tidal resource of any country in Europe. Yet barely more than a few kWh from demonstration wave and tidal power projects currently feed into the national grid. So if this powerful, low-carbon, indigenous energy source is right on our doorstep, why are we still such a distance away from commercial deployment of marine power?
It’s not for want of trying. British inventors and scientists have been researching and developing technologies to harness the power of the oceans since the early 1960s. A large number of wave and tidal devices have been designed and tested here by academic institutions, technology companies and at test centres.
For example, Marine Current Turbines (MCT) installed the first underwater turbine at Lynmouth, North Devon, five years ago. Since then, Ocean Power Delivery has exported three of its Pelamis wave energy devices to Portugal, Regen SW has started to build the Wave Hub in Cornwall – a giant ‘extension lead’ to bring electricity onshore from test devices – and both Wave Dragon and MCT are looking to develop projects in Wales. Yet it’s only the projects that have been able to secure funding from the government, and private investors such as venture capitalists, that have really gone far. There are about 40 devices in development, and it will be interesting to see which ones sink and which ones swim.
Government interest is certainly there – a recent DTI Renewable Energy Atlas highlighted that the western seaboard of the UK, with its Atlantic swells, has high wave and tidal energy potential. But the DTI will have to allocate more than the £50 million earmarked in its Marine Renewables Deployment Fund if it wants to turn this potential into reality.
Project developers often face other constraints such as getting consent, undertaking complex environmental impact assessments, and overcoming conflicts of interest with other ocean users, such as shipping companies, fishermen, the aggregate industry, and recreational yachtsmen. Current turbines on the seabed, for example, may interfere with shipping lanes, or gravel extraction.
Another challenge is grid connection. The World Offshore Renewable Energy Report 2002-2007, also released by the DTI, suggests that while a staggering 3000GW of tidal energy could be generated, less than 3% is located in areas served by a strong grid. The UK networks have a finite capacity to transport electricity and, particularly in Scotland and Wales, availability of connections may be limited. This will partly be overcome through the decommissioning of nuclear power stations, freeing up capacity, but may also require significant reinforcement of grid connections.
The marine energy industry also needs much clearer regulation. At the moment, there is no proper guidance on the siting of marine power devices, what companies need to do to get consent, how many are allowed, and how long government support will continue. Because there are so many archaic pieces of legislation governing the marine environment, anyone interested in installing a marine turbine has to talk to Defra, the DTI, the Crown Estates, the ODPM… Let’s hope the Marine Bill scheduled for the end of this year will bring these regulations in one place for the first time.
As the Carbon Trust report shows, we have the resource and potential for a world-leading and technologically advanced UK marine energy industry. All we need now is the financial, commercial and regulatory clarity to harness the seas.
Sue Barr is a senior consultant within Entec’s
Environmental Appraisal Team.
Entec UK, 0800371733, www.entecuk.com
Click here to load the Entec home page