Wales-Invented Tidal Stream Technology Backed By Community
Renewable energy company Tidal Energy Limited – which has proposed Wales’ first marine renewables test site off the coast of Pembrokeshire – has announced 97% of local people who attended their public exhibition are in support of the project.
The exhibition – which was held over 20th-21st November – revealed that the majority of attendees supported the 12 month test site project at Ramsey Sound, St. Davids, with 100% supporting renewable energy in general.
At the event, Cardiff-based Tidal Energy presented the findings of the Environmental Impact Assessment, produced following rigorous surveys carried out by independent experts. This covers areas including bird life, marine mammals, ecology, tourism and navigation.
The site has been chosen by the company to test its Pembrokeshire-invented DeltaStream unit, which employs the ocean tidal streams to generate clean electricity. The unit has been designed to operate on the seabed and minimise the impact on the environment and sea-life.
Chris Williams, Development Director at Tidal Energy Ltd said: “We have been encouraged by the levels of support received from the community, reflecting the foresight of the local people in their recognition that climate change is an extremely pressing subject. The consultation process enables us to develop a project that is sensitive to the specifics of the area, and we encourage anyone with questions about the project to get in touch.
“St. David’s is perfectly placed to embrace the fight against global warming. This test site will pave the way for tidal power to become a major form of renewable energy – it is one of the newest and most exciting forms of green electricity generation. Unlike many other renewable technologies, it is both invisible and reliable – attributes that have been recognised by exhibition attendees as very important.”
Martin Murphy, Managing Director at Tidal Energy said: “We have a passion for Wales’ ownership of the DeltaStream development, from its conception by my Pembrokeshire-based colleague Richard Ayre, to its testing at St. David’s.
“The Ramsey Sound project will be a temporary 12 month testing, during which time one DeltaStream unit will be generating electricity at the site. This is an essential step in the realisation of our technology as a forerunner in the marine renewables sector, with its simple, proven design features and elements including slow-moving, blunt turbine blades specially intended to minimise any impact on sea life. DeltaStream will make a very valuable contribution to national renewable energy targets, and we are proud to be pioneering such an exciting Welsh technology.”
