Renewable Energy News October 2009

October 5, 2009

Liverpool University Engineers claim that Barrages in the North West area alone could supply up to 5% of the UK electricity requirement. Morecambe Bay, the Solway Firth, Liverpool Bay and Dee Estuary could supply up to half of the regions electricity if given approval. There will of course need to be serious debate, consultation and studies resolved regarding the building of barrages across estuaries. Whilst there could be additional benefits in having barrages, in addition to the power generated, there would be an equal number of disadvantages with regard to the changing landscape, mud flats marine and bird life which would all have to be considered before approval.

The Ocean Flow Energy Ltd ‘Evopod’ system benefited from the 2009 Shell Springboard Award with a £20,000 prize which has assisted in helping to develop a larger scale version and deployment of the ‘Evopod’ in a more representative location. The system has a unique mooring arrangement allowing the turbine to rotate and stay in the tidal flow for maximum energy recovery. The mooring system will improve the ability to withstand more extreme weather conditions and has a quick disconnect feature enabling the turbine module to be brought inshore for ease of maintenance and repair.

Tidal Energy Ltd have now received Planning permission to install a Power Conversion facility in St Justinians, Pembrokeshire, to connect to one of their Delta Stream Generators which will be installed in Ramsey Sound. Delta Stream Generators consist of three turbines, mounted on a triangular base frame which is fixed to the sea bed, that draw energy from the Tidal flow. Any number of the frames can be linked to a grid mooring arrangement to maximize the area of the sea bed available for deployment.

Work is progressing on a 1/40th Scale Proof of Concept Prototype of our own renewable Energy System. Various Computer modeling programmes are also being considered to further demonstrate what we believe is a unique and innovative idea that will add to the increasing amount of Renewable Energy that can and is being obtained from the sea.