| Wave & tidal power
Left: The US state of California is looking to utilise its wave power potential with the new Wave and Tidal Energy Bill
5.6MW of capacity through the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference in 2022.
The future of tidal and wind John Caskey Managing Director of Hydrosphere,
a company which supplies marine navigation aids for offshore renewable energy sites, has recently asked why tidal power has been largely absent from discussions about alternative renewable energies in the UK. Taking into account the fact that half of the UK’s
renewable energy now comes from wind power, and by 2030 it will get a third of its electricity from offshore wind, Caskey asks what happens when there is no wind? Taking tidal power into consideration, he wonders if a dual-edged approach could be the answer to overcoming periods of high demand and low wind resources.
“Because they naturally peak at different times, coupling tidal and wind power could go a long way towards creating a reliable renewable energy source,” Caskey said. “Integrating offshore wind farms and tidal turbines with the same foundations can also help to reduce installation costs. Plus, if the two power sources can use the same ocean real estate, fewer navigation or data buoys will be needed around the site — meaning less maintenance and further cost reductions.” Caskey believes that the tidal energy industry will eventually reach a stage of development where pairing tidal and wind power is a practical reality. “Until then,” he said, “the marine industry must encourage governments to join the conversation and explore how to bring early-stage tidal energy concepts to fruition — instead of remaining just a straw in the wind.”
Left: John Caskey Managing Director of Hydrosphere believes that the tidal energy industry will eventually reach a stage of development where pairing tidal and wind power is a practical reality
References
https://hydrosphere.co.uk/wind- and-tidal-power-an-answer-to- increasing-energy-demand/
www.waterpowermagazine.com | September 2023 | 47
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