tidal energy

SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Tidal Energy

© Frazer-Nash Consultancy Ltd 2009. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document. SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Introduction

Tides and tidal energy How can we capture it? Why would we want to? Where is the market today? Why is the UK the world-leader? Where are the challenges? What is the opportunity?


Tides 101

Rising and falling of the ocean’s surface Caused by gravitational effect of moon and sun on the seas Highly predictable (28-day cycle).


E = ½ mv2 and all that…

Tides cause significant volumes of water to flow around the world.

The moving body of water contains energy. Power of the water is proportional to (current speed)3. But, good tidal spots can be a little rough…


How much energy? Where?

Raw, incoming tide from Atlantic: 250 GW average 2190 TWh / yr

Total UK electricity consumption: 400 TWh / yr

“Hot Spots” not near centres of population or grid infrastructure.

190 GW

60 GW


But we can hardly dam the (whole) North Sea…

1.6 mile wide / 40m deep channel Average power through channel:

350MW i.e. domestic electricity consumption

of Glasgow.


You keep saying “Average…”

Tidal Power

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Days

MW


Comparison: Wind Farm


Recap

The resource is: Large Free Predictable

But: Varies with time In the wrong place


So, how can we capture it?

Romans used tide mills in London.

Historically, c. 750 mills installed around the Atlantic

Better ways of milling flour now exist…


Tidal Barrage (Tidal Range)

First, dam an estuary…

Principle: Tide allowed to flow through barrage into estuary pool Barrage closes, water held in pool until tide falls Water released through turbines to generate power.

Severn barrage under feasibility study Led by Ed Milliband 5 options at public consultation Reports end 2009.

La Rance, 1966


Tidal Stream

Find a good location Fast-flowing Close to shore Close to grid Good seabed conditions Not too exposed…

Put a “farm” of underwater windmills there.


Current Approaches


Typical Development Process

Basic Technology Development

Full Scale Prototype

Commercial Array

£1M £20-40M £100M+

3-10yrs ~3 yrs ~3 yrs

Hammerfest Strom

Marine Current Turbines

OpenHydro

Over 100 active device developers All pre-revenue technology development companies Usually single-product


The UK Top 20

Basic Science

Modelling & Tank Testing

Large Prototypes

Commercial Machines


The Way Forwards

JVs emerging to develop first projects Technology Developer + Utility


UK Support Mechanisms

Revenue Support through the Renewables Obligation 2 ROCs / MWh (England & Wales) 3 ROCs / MWh (Scotland)

Targeted Revenue Support Marine Renewables Deployment Fund Saltire Prize

Capital Support Marine Renewables Proving Fund Energy Technologies Institute


UK Support Mechanisms


Current Hot Topics

First commercial projects underway Islay Array (Scottish Power / Hammerfest Strom UK) Anglesey Array (NPower Renewables / MCT)

Internationalisation OpenHydro: - Canadian projects Lunar: - 500MW Korean farm.

Policy & Infrastructure Crown Estates Leasing Process Grid Issues OFTO


The Pentland Firth Process

Crown Estates Process Marine spatial planning

exercise 700MW of renewable power

from Pentland Firth by 2020 Closed 15 May 09 42 applications received Projects 10MW-300MW


Grid Reinforcement

National Grid: Connects few power stations to

many consumers

New Paradigm Generation at grid extremities

Major upgrade projects Beauly – Denny rebuild Dounreay – Beauly upgrade


Taking the Grid Offshore

Energy Act (2004) Licence needed to operate offshore transmission network Offshore Transmission Owners (OFTOs) introduced:

Own the “Offshore grid.” Appointed by Ofgem Tendering process triggered by tidal developer applying for grid

connection. Remuneration from “locational” (tidal developer) & “non-locational”

(other users). First OFTO tender process April 09 (offshore wind farms) Developers watching with interest


Conclusions

Tidal energy promising, but developmental

25-50% of European tidal stream resource in UK waters UK will see world’s first commercial projects

High on political agenda Especially Scotland Sustained support needed to retain impetus in UK.

Rapidly changing industry: Impact of OFTO? Impact of grid upgrades? Will it work?

SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

www.fnc.co.uk/renewables

Ian Watson

+44 (0)1306 885050

[email protected]

tidal energy

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