| Wave & tidal power
in the UK and France, and has since successfully demonstrated the significant value tidal stream energy can bring to the future energy mix, economies and supply chains in both of these countries. TIGER is the largest project funded by the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme, with €48.4 million invested to drive collaboration and cost reduction through tidal turbine installations in the UK and France. The project, led by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, has enabled installation of four new tidal stream energy devices at test sites in and around the Channel region, with a further 16 in development. This has created a total of 3.6MW new tidal capacity, with a further 57.4MW in the pipeline. Instrumental to the success of the project was
collaboration between the 18 TIGER partners across the UK and France, spanning turbine developers, ocean energy demonstration sites, research organisations, and local and regional authorities, each supporting the tidal industry as it moves towards commercialisation. These include the Universities of Manchester, Exeter and Plymouth in England, EDF, EMEC, HydroQuest, Minesto and Orbital Marine Power. Carly Tait, Project Manager at EMEC for TIGER
said: “Today, companies who four years ago were working on prototype device development, are now looking at multiple device deployments and volume manufacture. With continued investment, tidal stream energy could become the renewable energy of choice in coastal locations, with strong tidal currents around headlands and islands globally, generating clean, green energy to combat the climate emergency.”
The project included real world demonstrations and published scientific research industry reports that not only demonstrate the cost reduction trajectory which can be achieved, but also show how the UK and France can generate over 80% of materials from the local supply chain, create up to 45 jobs per MW deployed (exceeding the wind and solar industries), and contribute up to £17 billion to the UK economy by 2050.
“TIGER has been hugely influential in showcasing the benefits of tidal stream energy,” said Simon Cheeseman, ORE Catapult’s Wave and Tidal Sector Specialist. “We have forecast that tidal stream could provide 11% of the UK’s electricity needs by 2050 and drawn up a route map for technology innovation to drive down tidal stream energy cost from its present £260/MWh to £49-55/MWh by 2050. Tidal stream is also predictable, reducing energy system storage costs by £100 million per annum, and this saving could be as much as £600 million at £40/MWh. TIGER has effectively put the sector back on track to make a meaningful contribution to the future energy mix.”
Unanimous move Eco Wave Power Global has celebrated a significant
milestone as the California Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy unanimously approved the Wave and Tidal Energy Bill in June. The bill’s primary objective is to pave the way for California to harness a new source of clean and renewable energy, contributing to the state’s ambitious carbon-free targets and enhancing its electric grid. It tasks the California Energy Commission with
www.waterpowermagazine.com | September 2023 | 45
Above: Orbital O2 operating at EMEC test site in Orkney (Credit Orbital Marine Power)
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