A
test of a full-scale tidal power generator in Ramsay Sound, in Pembrokeshire
will show the potential for renewable energy has been unveiled. The underwater turbine
in Ramsey Sound will run for a 12-month trial, powering homes in St Davids. The
test turbine constructed by Cardiff-based developers Tidal Energy Ltd, the
150-tonne demonstration device with a frame as high as a seven storey building
has been built in Pembroke Dock by Mustang Marine, recently saved from
administration. The turbine will generate energy from tidal currents on the sea
bed. Tidal Energy Ltd claims the patented DeltaStream device will be Wales'
first grid-connected freestanding tidal turbine, and will help to make the case
for a larger scheme involving nine turbines.
Energy generated by the 400kW demonstration device,
which will be installed within a matter of weeks will be fed into the National
Grid and be used to power nearby homes. The turbine, located in a Marine
Special Area of Conservation, includes design features aimed at minimising the
impact on the environment. The project
has been supported by £8 million pounds of European Union funding, matched by
majority shareholder Eco2 Ltd. The company is planning a larger 10MW scheme
involving up to nine turbines off St Davids Head, which would generate enough
power for 10,000 homes. Other tidal energy schemes in Wales include a £70m
project off the coast of Anglesey due to open in 2016 and a £650m tidal lagoon
proposed for Swansea Bay.
