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42 July/August 2013 | Renewable Energy Focus Support grows for ocean energy O CEAN ENERGY (wave and tidal) still remains at an early stage, mainly at a research and development (R&D) phase with a few projects going into demonstration status or scaling their prototypes up. It is clear however that governments are gaining confidence in the sector, with new policies and funding programmes introduced to promote industry development and bring the technology closer to a com- mercial maturity. Key players in this regard are the UK, Ireland, France, Portugal, South Korea and Australia. The UK government has one of the most ambitious programmes - aiming to develop 200-300MW of ocean energy by 2020. In line with this, two Marine Energy Parks (MEPs) were launched last year to drive the sector forward: the South West Marine Energy Park was launched in January 2012 while the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Energy Park kicked-off in July 2012. Another notable event in the past year was Alstom’s acquisition of Tidal Generation Limited (TGL), which is specialised in the design and manufacture of marine stream tur- bines (previously owned by Rolls- Royce). In 2012, TGL installed a 1MW tidal turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre’s (EMEC) full-scale tidal test site in Orkney, Scotland. Also, Siemens acquired all the shares in Marine Current Turbines (MCT) in 2012. MCT is now operated as a Siemens business under the Sie- mens Solar & Hydro Division. Two main projects are expected: the 8MW Kyle Rhea project in Scotland and the 10MW farm at the Anglesey Skerries in Wales. Portugal is also a very active player in the European market and in 2012 it was involved in many projects deal- ing with different kind of ocean energy issues, such as MARINET (2011-2015), TROPOS (2011-2015), SOWFIA (2010- 2012), FAME (2010-2012), WAVE- PORT (2009-2012), DEMOWFLOAT (2011-2014) and SEANERGY 2020 (2009-2012). Among the new projects started in 2012, the Strategic Initia- tive for Ocean Energy Development (SI Ocean) is significant, researching the most effective way to tackle key barriers to developing a commercial Focus on renewable power generation A notavle project in 2012 was Weptos, a pilot plant for developing and designing a commercial wave energy plant located in Fredericia, Denmark. Wepstos A/S says through its floating angular construction, its wave energy converter is able to regulate the wave energy input and reduce the impact during rough weather conditions. The V–shaped structure absorbs the wave energy through a line of rotors, which each of them transmits the energy to a common axle, directly attached to a generator. “This way, an even energy generation throughout the wave duration follows, enabling for other known generator solutions to be applied.” (Photo courtesys of Weptos A/S)

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42 July/August 2013 | Renewable Energy Focus

Support grows for ocean energy

OCEAN ENERGY (wave and tidal)

still remains at an early stage, mainly

at a research and development (R&D)

phase with a few projects going into

demonstration status or scaling their

prototypes up. It is clear however that governments are

gaining confi dence in the sector, with new policies and

funding programmes introduced to promote industry

development and bring the technology closer to a com-

mercial maturity. Key players in this regard are the UK,

Ireland, France, Portugal, South Korea and Australia.

The UK government has one of

the most ambitious programmes -

aiming to develop 200-300MW of

ocean energy by 2020. In line with

this, two Marine Energy Parks

(MEPs) were launched last year to

drive the sector forward: the South West Marine Energy Park was

launched in January 2012 while the

Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters

Marine Energy Park kicked-off in

July 2012.

Another notable event in the past

year was Alstom’s acquisition of

Tidal Generation Limited (TGL), which is specialised in the design and

manufacture of marine stream tur-

bines (previously owned by Rolls-Royce). In 2012, TGL installed a 1MW

tidal turbine at the European Marine

Energy Centre’s (EMEC) full-scale

tidal test site in Orkney, Scotland.

Also, Siemens acquired all the shares

in Marine Current Turbines (MCT)in 2012. MCT is now operated as

a Siemens business under the Sie-

mens Solar & Hydro Division. Two

main projects are expected: the 8MW

Kyle Rhea project in Scotland and the

10MW farm at the Anglesey Skerries

in Wales.

Portugal is also a very active player

in the European market and in 2012

it was involved in many projects deal-

ing with diff erent kind of ocean energy

issues, such as MARINET (2011-2015),

TROPOS (2011-2015), SOWFIA (2010-

2012), FAME (2010-2012), WAVE-

PORT (2009-2012), DEMOWFLOAT

(2011-2014) and SEANERGY 2020

(2009-2012). Among the new projects

started in 2012, the Strategic Initia-

tive for Ocean Energy Development

(SI Ocean) is signifi cant, researching

the most eff ective way to tackle key

barriers to developing a commercial

Focus on renewable power generation

A notavle project in 2012 was Weptos, a pilot plant for developing and designing a commercial wave energy plant located in Fredericia, Denmark. Wepstos A/S says through its fl oating angular construction, its wave energy converter is able to regulate the wave energy input and reduce the impact during rough weather conditions. The V–shaped structure absorbs the wave energy through a line of rotors, which each of them transmits the energy to a common axle, directly attached to a generator. “This way, an even energy generation throughout the wave duration follows, enabling for other known generator solutions to be applied.” (Photo courtesys of Weptos A/S)

REF0413_Marine 42 30-07-2013 12:28:31

43July/August 2013 | Renewable Energy Focus

wave and tidal energy sector in

Europe. Another project initiated in

2012 was PolyWEC, looking at elec-

tro-active Polymers for Wave Energy

Conversion.

In Denmark, a new energy pol-

icy (2012-2020) came into force in

March 2012. It targets a 35% renew-

able energy share of electricity gen-

eration with a total investment of

€13mn with €3mn of that specifi cally

allocated to wave energy. There are

six projects being tested at the Dan-

WEC facilities.

The fi rst wave dragon test device

was installed in 2012 in Nissum,

Bredning. Wave Dragon is a fl oating,

slack-moored energy converter of the

overtopping type that can be deployed

in a single unit or in arrays of units in

groups resulting in a power plant with

a capacity comparable to traditional

fossil based power plants. Another

notable Danish project is Weptos, a

pilot plant for developing and design-

ing a commercial wave energy plant

located in Fredericia.

Moving to France, power sup-

ply in the country is dominated by

nuclear energy, which has a 75%

share of market. However, the French

Government has signalled a desire

to develop a marine renewables

industry – in March 2012 the France

Energies Marines (FEM) programme

was established with a budget set of

€133.3mn over 10 years.

Sweden also stepped forward

with the The Sotenäs Project which

started at the end of 2011. Once com-

pleted it will be the largest power

plant built in the world for wave

energy. The fi rst stage covers the con-

struction of 1MW, with the plant

eventually reaching a total installed

capacity of 10MW when the sec-

ond phase is fi nished. The Project is

funded by power company Fortum

and the Swedish Energy Agency.

In Ireland the fi nancial crisis

resulted in a slow down in the devel-

opment of ocean energy technologies

as a cutback in funding hit the sector.

The potential in Ireland is estimated

to be 29GW. Outside of Europe, China

is working on tidal energy. Projects in

progress include:

The 40 MW Rushan estuarine •

tidal power pre-feasibility study in

Shandong province;

The 20 MW Maluan Bay tidal •

power pre-feasibility study in

Fujian province; and

The 10 MW Bachimen tidal power •

pre-feasibility study in Fujian

In August 2012, the upgrade of the •

Jiangxia Tidal Power Plant began.

It will see the power of the turbine

increase from 500kW to 700kW.

It should be noted that these

Chinese plants are all using the

more conventional tidal barrage

technology.

Focus on renewable power generation

Governments are gaining confi dence in the wave and tidal sector, with new policies and funding programmes introduced to promote industry development and bring technol-ogy closer to a commercial maturity. (Photo: Shutterstock/Willyam Bradberry)

Cumulated installed

capacity 2012(MW)

Installed capacity 2012

(MW)

Estimated electricity

generation in 2012(TWh)

Europe 248.20 0.00 0.57

North America 20.30 0.00 0.05

South America 0.00 0.00 0

Asia 259.20 1.00 0.59

Oceania <0.01 0.00 0

Africa 0.00 0.00 0

World Total 527.70 1.00 1.21

Largest National Market Korea 254.00 Japan 1.00 Korea 0.58

Table 8: Summary of ocean energy installation status, end of 2012.

REF0413_Marine 43 30-07-2013 12:28:31