Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity, a successful method of producing renewable energy, and it appears that the technology has inspired engineers to develop alternative ways of producing electricity in the UK. Sea Generation Ltd is to launch Wales’s first commercial tidal energy farm in 2016. The electricity generators will operate like wind turbines but with blades driven by tidal wave action instead of wind.
The turbines will be installed and operated for up to 25 years, where they will serve as a test case for the development of tidal technology. The Crown Estate said that leasing the sites for technology development was “critical” for the UK to unlock the potential of wave and tidal energy. First Minister Carwyn Jones said the benefits to the economy could be significant.
It has been estimated that the potential energy generated by the Anglesey Skerries Tidal Array project is equivalent to three or four nuclear power stations. The advantages of tidal power include zero carbon electricity generation and the predictability of tidal currents. Concerns have been expressed regarding the environmental impacts. In response Sea Generation commissioned an Environmental Impact Assessment and established an environmental monitoring programme to bridge any knowledge gaps.There are already huge ambitions for this energy sector and this announcement is a step in the right direction for the development of wave and tidal stream industries.