RenewableUK Welcomes New Leasing Agreements for Tidal Power

RenewableUK, the wind and marine energy association, welcomes the news that three new leasing agreements have been signed for tidal power across the UK.

The three projects are spread across the UK with Minesto’s trial device at Stangford Lough in Northern Ireland, Scotrenewables Tidal Power array at Lashy Sound in the Orkney Islands joining the Solent Energy Centre on the Isle of Wight.

These leasing agreements have been agreed with the Crown Estate after the fourth application window leasing process as well as The Saltire Pirize set up by the Scottish Government. The new agreements allow the developers to continue on the next stages leading to deployment, and are a further indication of the growth in the marine energy sector in the UK.

David Krohn, Wave and Tidal Development Manager at RenewableUK said: “This is great news not only for the developers involved but also for the industry as a whole because it shows the level of confidence that exists around this technology”.

“These three lease awards all signify important steps forward for the industry. Scotrenewables is demonstrating a floating device that could fundamentally alter the cost reduction landscape, while minesto is opening up new areas for development by demonstrating that energy can be generated in lower current speeds. The Isle of Wight award shows that communities can get behind tidal projects and make a meaningful difference to the way energy is generated in the UK.

“This confirms what we know, which as that the development of tidal devices continues to gather speed and efficiency. It is positive stories like these and many others that we will be focusing on at our annual Wave and Tidal Conference in February, which will give the Wave and Tidal industries the chance to come together and take stock of the massive step forwards we are continuing to see.”

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Press release, November 15, 2012; Image: OpenHydro