Top news, March 26 – April 1, 2018

Tidal Energy Today has compiled the top news from tidal and wave energy industry from March 26 until April 1, 2018.


Dutch tidal center sets the scene for April construction start

BT Projects has selected a Dutch construction firm Van der Straaten to build the Tidal Technology Center Grevelingendam (TTC‐GD) in the Netherlands.

The works on the TTC-GD, a full‐scale onshore tidal research, testing and validation center, are expected to begin in April, according to BT Project, the initiator of TTC-GD.

The buildout works are expected to be completed by the end of the year.


Tidal & wave generate 4GWh in a record year for UK renewables

The new UK government’s energy statistics report has shown that renewables share of electricity generation in 2017 reached a record figure of 29.4% – second only to that of gas.

The capacity of the UK’s shoreline wave and tidal technologies grew from 13MW in 2016, to 18MW in 2017 – an increase of 36.4%.

In line with the increased capacity, the share of electricity produced by tidal and wave in 2017 also rose to reach a total of 4GWh, the report reveals.


Wave Energy Scotland funds control systems trio

Wave Energy Scotland (WES) has selected three of the most promising control systems concepts from its technology program to share a little over £630,000 to further develop their ideas.

The control system for a wave energy converter is an essential sub-component and can constitute a complex piece of technology. Computer simulations and state of the art technologies can be combined to create a new approach for controlling wave energy converters, WES said.

The research projects funded are expected to conclude in nine months’ time, according to WES.


SINN Power all set for Cape Verde wave energy project launch

SINN Power has inked a partnership agreement with a local aquaculture company Fazenda de Camarão to start a wave energy demonstration project on São Vicente island in Africa.

Within this project, a SINN Power wave energy converter will be installed to supply an organic shrimp farm with 100% renewable energy.

As agreed in the contract between SINN Power and Fazenda de Camarão, the project will be launched shortly with a detailed feasibility study.


Wave Hub eyes other options as wave developers steer away

The Cornish grid-connected site for testing wave energy devices – the Wave Hub – is exploring other marine renewable energy options amid reports that it failed to deliver any electricity to the UK National Grid despite being operational for years.

At the beginning of the year, the site had two potential customers in line to test their devices in 2018 at Wave Hub – the Australian developer Carnegie Clean Energy, and American company GWave. Carnegie decided to deploy the device off Western Australia, and – now, it has also emerged that GWave also shifted plans for the installation of a giant 9MW wave energy device for another two years.

Following these developments, Wave Hub issued a statement saying the center is diversifying its approach through actively exploring all marine renewable technologies, including the option of utilizing the Wave Hub infrastructure for the deployment of floating wind as the wave sector is taking longer to develop than all parties originally anticipated – according to Wave Hub.


Tidal Energy Today