Carbon Trust to slash costs of marine energy by 20%
£1m Carbon Trust research initiative to reduce costs of marine energy using innovative technologies transferred from traditional industries including aviation, oil and gas.
Giant turbine blades developed using technology from the aviation industry and underwater hydraulic power networks as used in the oil and gas industry are just two of the technologies that could be harnessed by the marine energy industry to generate cost effective renewable electricity to power homes and businesses across the UK.
The £1m research initiative announced today, which focuses on component technology innovation, is part of a wider set of Carbon Trust activities to drive down costs in the marine energy sector and make marine power a commercial reality by 2020.
Energy from wave and tidal power could provide up to 20% of the UK’s current electricity and has the potential to cut carbon dioxide by tens of millions of tonnes. Ultimately, the global estimated value of worldwide electricity revenues from wave and tidal stream projects could be between £60-£190 billion a year1. However, the cost of generating marine energy is currently high compared to other forms of more conventional generation and key components used in wave and tidal energy devices can make up as much as a third of the total device cost.
The Carbon Trust’s Marine Energy Accelerator aims to accelerate progress in cost reduction for wave and tidal stream energy technologies. This latest phase of activity focuses on the development of component technologies which could reduce costs across the whole industry. The Carbon Trust is partnering with leading academic and industrial groups that bring expertise from outside of the marine energy field. The overall objective is to reduce the cost of marine energy by up to 20% by 2020.
Mark Williamson, Director of Innovations at the Carbon Trust, said:
“In the face of the economic downturn, these companies are at the forefront of an energy revolution that will see the creation of thousands of green collar jobs and a boost to the UK’s economy. Our targeted funding will accelerate the marine energy sector’s development and so speed its carbon saving potential which is vital to us in staying within the UK’s carbon budgets.
“The UK is already leading the world in the development of marine energy and this emerging sector could provide significant economic opportunities for the UK as well as generating up to 20% of our electricity needs. This research into component technologies builds on existing UK industrial and academic strengths and we have identified a range of opportunities to cut costs by up to 20% and improve the economic viability of marine energy.”
Sustainable Development and Energy Innovation Minister, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath said:
“We are world leaders in the innovation of marine energy and the Carbon Trust’s Marine Accelerator, funded through the Government’s Environmental Transformation Fund, will help keep us at the forefront. These innovative technologies, when proven to be commercially viable, could play a significant role in meeting our renewable and climate change targets.”
“The potential of using the power of the waves and tides around Britain is immense which is why Government is doubling the financial support to the marine sector so working prototypes are tested in UK waters.”
The Carbon Trust’s Marine Energy Accelerator is funded by the UK Environmental Transformation Fund (managed by the Department for Energy and Climate Change), the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and Invest Northern Ireland.
The five innovative companies researching breakthrough component technologies are:
- Tension Technology International Ltd: Research and testing of low cost, longer life mooring systems, flexible bag anchors and bio-fouling prevention systems on new substrates for wave and tidal applications.
- Aviation Enterprises: Optimisation of tidal turbine blade designs and fatigue testing of metal-composite joint systems.
- Mac Taggart Scott: Development of reliable, low cost variable displacement, hydraulic generators for wave and tidal applications.
- Edinburgh University: Next generation linear generators for wave devices.
- JP Kenny: Investigation into the engineering feasibility of using hydraulic arrays for power transmission from wave and tidal farms to the shore.
“MacTaggart Scott’s extensive experience in the marine environment, particularly in subsea heavy engineering, provides a wealth of knowledge that can be applied to the marine renewable market. MacTaggart Scott is pleased to be afforded the opportunity to work with the Carbon Trust to develop and provide technology that will make marine energy extraction more efficient and cost effective.”
Dr Isabel Ridge, Tension Technology International Ltd , said:
“TTI is pleased to be working with the Carbon Trust and together with other industrial partners supporting the UK economy. The project currently underway will lead to lighter and more efficient mooring systems specifically (but not exclusively) for tidal and wave energy devices. These improvements will both push down the cost of marine energy and directly reduce CO2 emissions by allowing the use of smaller vessels for mooring installation.”
Steve Wayman, CEO, J P Kenny Group, John Wood Group PLC, commented:
“J P Kenny intends to play a key role in developing the UK & Europe’s economically viable Marine Renewable resources, and in particular we are committed to transferring the Subsea Engineering & Management skills we have gained in the O&G sector, across to the Renewables sector. Working with the Carbon Trust on this project has given us a further opportunity to utilise and enhance those skills, for the future benefit of the UK Marine Energy industry.”
Markus Mueller, Senior Lecturer, Edinburgh University, said:
“Carbon Trust funding as part of the Marine Accelerator Programme will enable the Machines Group in the Institute for Energy Systems in the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh to advance its new lightweight generator technology at a reasonable scale with the aim of securing commercial interest from wave energy technology developers.”
Angus Fleming, Managing Director of Aviation Enterprises Limited, commented:
'This support will enable us to gather test data which will advance our design and development of composite tidal turbine blades and any undersea composite structures and put it on a firm technical foundation as well as enabling costs to be minimised by efficient design'.
A second call for 12 month research proposals in this area is now open and the Carbon Trust invites component technology developers to find out more.
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