Wednesday 1 May 2013

£1.6m fund for ‘first’ tidal energy generator in Wales

A Welsh firm has been awarded a £1.6 million grant for the nation’s “first” full-scale tidal energy project.

The cash will help Cardiff-based Tidal Energy Ltd deploy its ‘DeltaStream’ device (pictured) in Ramsey Sound, Pembrokeshire, where it will generate clean electricity over a 12-month demonstration period.

The technology sits on the seabed and includes three independent 400kW turbines mounted on a triangular frame.

Martin Murphy, Managing Director of Tidal Energy Ltd said: “This is a really exciting time for us. We have all the necessary operating consents, have completed the grid work for the project and are now preparing for our first at-sea tests. The remaining principal contractors are due to be placed shortly, we have recently invited tenders for fabrication and we are also expanding our team at our Cardiff headquarters.”

The European Regional Development Fund provided the grant.