Marine Renewable Energy

Globally, Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) is increasingly being seen as an important contributor to meeting the single greatest challenge of our time – climate change. Increasingly ambitious global targets are being agreed to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to provide more secure and stable future energy. Pembrokeshire has the potential to make a significant contribution to decarbonising the UK economy and enabling the UK and Welsh Assembly Government meet their renewable energy targets.    

Types of Marine Renewable Energy with links to Pembrokeshire     

Wind - Harnessing the power of the wind using wind turbines to generate electricity. Wind power is variable – about 30% onshore and 40% offshore. This is currently the most technologically advanced and therefore readily available commercially in Wales. Infinergy currently has four onshore wind turbines at Castle Pill with a further four being considered at the Waterston energy site. The Crown Estate has recently anounced the winning tenders for Round Three Offshore wind sites. Whilst none are immediately off the Pembrokeshire coast, the outer Bristol Channel site offers significant opportunities for provision of onshore installation and maintenance services from the Milford Haven Waterway. There may also be potential for more sites following the completion of the recently announced England and Wales offshore wind Strategic Environmental Assessment exercise. Far Offshore Renewables, a welsh company is also currently looking to develop a new floating wind turbine device which is to be tested off the North Pembrokeshire coast later this year. Unlike its counterparts, this project intends to convert electricity into oxygen and hydrogen on the platform for shipping to port.          

Tide – Tidal energy devices are designed to capture the energy created by the natural ebb and flow of coastal tidal waters. Unlike wind this tidal flow is very predictable and in Pembrokeshire there are some opportunities around the islands with a further 2km ² identified off the west coast of Ramsey Island with an indicative capacity of ~150MW. Pembrokeshire currently has two tidal energy projects proposed for Ramsey Sound, Lunar Energy/E.on and Delta Stream/Tidal Energy Limited. Both are pre-commercial demonstration devices. Swanturbines was spun out of Swansea University and is currently seeking continuation funding for a pre-commercial demonstration device.            

Wave – Wave energy devices are designed to harness the energy generated by the movement of waves and differering technologies can be placed both inshore and offshore. Pembrokeshire has the highest concentration of wave resource (700km²) in Wales providing a significant opportunity for development of the industry. Two planned pre-commercial demonstration devices are proposed for Pembrokeshire – Wave Dragon off the coast of Marloes and Marine Energy Limited off the Castlemartin Peninsular.          

There are a number of smaller, early stage development companies in Wales who have attracted funding to design and sea-test small-scale devices. Other companies involved in developing marine generation technologies have expressed interests in testing/deploying devices off the Pembrokeshire Coast however the confidential nature of these approaches prohibits us mentioning them at this stage.

Downloads

• Download: Technical overview of wave and tidal stream energy
• Download: Tidal streams device design
• Download: Ocean waves and wave design