Top news, Mar 28 – Apr 3, 2016

Tidal Energy Today has compiled the top news from tidal and wave energy industry from March 28 – April 3, 2016.

(Photo: Morlais Energy)

Morlais tidal energy scheme draws funding

Funding boost in the amount of £300,000 has been awarded for the advancement of Morlais Tidal Energy Demonstration Zone off Anglesey, Wales. The funds have been provided by Magnox’s Socio-economic scheme, and delivered by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. The Zone has been designated by the Crown Estate for the development of up to ten renewable tidal power installations with a total cumulative production capacity of 120 MW.

Illustration (Photo: Atlantis Resources)

EIB splashes £500M for Scottish renewables link

European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to provide £500 million to improve the electricity transmission connections between wind, wave and tidal renewable energy schemes and the national power network in the north of Scotland. The new power link will help secure the supply of electricity in the Highlands, and will supply equivalent electricity to meet the needs of around 2 million Scottish residents once operational.

Fred. Olsen’s Bolt Lifesaver in Hawaii (Photo: SST)

Fred. Olsen’s Bolt Lifesaver hits water

Fred. Olsen’s wave energy device Bolt Lifesaver has been deployed at Navy’s Kaneohe Bay Wave Energy Test Site (WETS) off the coast of Hawaii, USA. Prior to the deployment, the device has been refurbished and prepared for the installation by a Washington-based ocean engineering firm Sound and Sea Technology. The testing and evaluation of the Bolt Lifesaver at WETS deep water test berth is expected to last around six months.

Seabased-adds-another-unit-to-its-wave-farmNew owner grabs Seabased

Norwegian-based Seabased Holding AS (SHAS) has become a new major shareholder of the Swedish-based wave energy developer Seabased AB, while initiating the creation of a new Nordic Ocean Renewable Energy Group. SHAS has also committed to initially invest $10 million in Seabased AB during 2016, out of which $6 million has been designated for the first half year. In addition, the company is now looking at moving the headquarters of Seabased from Uppsala to Lysekil.

Illustration/Protean WEC (Photo: Protean Wave Energy)

Cal Poly bags $1.5M grant for wave energy test center

Cal Poly’s Institute for Advanced Technology & Public Policy has received a one-year $1.5 million grant from the US Department of Energy for the second phase of assessing the feasibility of establishing a national wave energy test center off California. The study will assess the costs, duration, and possible environmental permitting and stakeholder issues for building and operating a wave energy test center.

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