The Marine Management Organisation has approved the offshore elements of the Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre (PTEC) – a tidal stream energy generation project to be constructed off the Isle of Wight.
The 30MW project – a joint venture project between Perpetuus Energy and the Isle of Wight Council – has also secured its future connection to the UK’s electricity grid.
It is hoped that construction will start in 2017, with potential to be generating electricity from late 2018.
The onshore part of the project – which will commercially operate a range of different turbine technologies off the southernmost tip of the Isle of Wight – was given local planning consent in September 2015.
PTEC’s aim is to bring international companies to the UK, to accelerate the country’s adoption and understanding of tidal energy.
Reliable power
Project director Mark Francis said: “We are delighted with the decision. PTEC will be pivotal to the future growth and success of the UK’s tidal energy industry.
“We started work on the PTEC project back in 2010 and secured the seabed Agreement for Lease in November 2012. Following a rigorous development and consenting phase, we have created a project that will deliver reliable power to the UK’s grid and has attracted world leading turbine manufacturers to partner with us in its implementation.
“We now look forward to working with the MMO, local planning authority and all relevant stakeholders in completing the final development phase before we begin construction.”
There are two main types of tidal power: tidal stream, which uses turbines use fast-moving tidal streams to generate electricity; and tidal range, which uses the difference in height between high and low tides.
The tidal sector is currently under government review following concerns over the level of funding required to launch the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon.
The Prime Minister expressed concern at the beginning of the year that the cost of the tidal range technology may be too high. The estimated strike price of £168/MWh for Swansea Bay had already come under fire, with consumer group Citizens Advice calling it “appalling value for money” for consumers.
However, having assessed the levelised costs of power from tidal lagoons, consulting firm Poyry has suggested the strike price would fall to £130/MWh for lagoon two and £92/MWh for lagoon three.
Ecotricity has said it will compete to build Britain’s first tidal lagoon site for a strike price of around £90/MWh.