Overview of tidal and wave activities in 2014

Worldwide Ocean Power Installed Capacity

Ocean Energy Systems (OES) has issued the Annual Report for 2014 that presents an overview of the activities undertaken within OES in 2014. Take a look at the list of OES members’ demonstration projects that have been tested in open waters.

UK – EMEC, 5 wave energy projects and 7 tidal current energy projects were tested. Other deployments have been reported in different parts around the UK: Wavehub and FaBTest site. Marine Current Turbine’s 1.2 MW Seagen machine has been operational in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland since 2008, and Minesto’s technology has also been deployed in this area. Tidal Energy Limited unveiled DeltaStream device soon to be installed in Wales and the first phase of a planned 380 MW tidal array scheme by MeyGen Limited is advancing in the Pentland Firth in Scotland.

Portugal – Pico Plant owned by WavEC, in Azores, continues to deliver electricity to the grid; while the grid connected WaveRoller demonstration project in Peniche completed another series of tests in the autumn of 2014.

Spain – Mutriku OWC breakwater promoted by EVE (the Basque Energy Agency) using Voith Hydro technology has already produced more than 650 MWh since starting operation in July 2011. A few other projects have been progressing: Wedge Global tested their wave energy demonstration project at Plocan site, Canary Islands, and the Magallanes tidal current project has been tested at EMEC.

Italy – the tidal current submerged floating concept, known as GEM, has been tested near Venice in a very slow speed current, and a full scale prototype is being designed for deployment in the Strait of Messina. During 2014, Enel Green Power and 40South Energy, began the installation and commissioning of a wave energy converter in Tuscany.

The Netherlands – 2 tidal current projects were operational in 2014, as well as the salinity gradient energy pilot plant Friesland/Afsluitdijk (50 kW).

Denmark – the wave energy converter known as Crestwing has been tested at sea and support from Energinet.dk has been granted for the design, building and testing of 3 Danish prototypes.

NorwayHavkraft has deployed 200 kW demonstration wave energy converter at the sea.

Sweden – 2 projects were operational during 2014, the Lysekil wave power project and the Söderfors marine current, both operated by Uppsala University. Sotenäs Project is progressing with the installation of their wave energy units in the sea expected to achieve a total installed power of 10 MW.

The United States – M3 Wave project was tested off the coast of Oregon, the Oscilla Power wave energy converter was tested off the coast of New Hampshire and the RivGen Power was deployed in Alaska.

Canada – 20 MW Annapolis Royal tidal barrage power plant continues to operate today by Nova Scotia Power, and number of river current technologies have been tested at the Canadian Hydrokinetic Test Centre.

South Korea – KRISO constructed 500 kW demonstration OWC plant on Jeju Island and the 200 kW OTEC plant.

Singapore – Hann-Ocean Energy has been testing its first commercial pilot project since August 2013, comprising 4 units of Drakoo-B0004 wave energy converters.

New Zealand – Northwest Energy Innovations (NWEI) have completed sea trials with pilot scale projects in New Zealand and Oregon with the AzuraWave (former Wave Energy Technology New Zealand or WETNZ) and the project is preparing to move now to Hawaii.

ChinaJiangxia Tidal Power Plant, the largest tidal power station in China with more than 30 years of operation, has been under upgrade from 3.9 MW to 4.1 MW.

OES is an intergovernmental collaboration between countries operating under framework established by the International Energy Agency in Paris known as ‘Implementing Agreement on Ocean Energy Systems’. As of 2014, it consists of 23 members.

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Source: OES; Image: OES/Worldwide Ocean Power Installed Capacity in 2014