The UK is leading the way with commercial opportunities for tidal stream development, largely driven by the UK Government's Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. The latest CfD Allocation Rounds—AR4, AR5, and the highly anticipated AR6—are pivotal in this blue-economy / blue-energy revolution. By earmarking substantial budgets for tidal energy, these rounds have invigorated investment and underscored tidal power's potential as a dependable and sustainable energy source.
In AR4, the UK set a precedent with a £75 million budget for emerging technologies, including tidal stream projects. This round saw significant successes, such as Orbital Marine Power and Meygen, which collectively advanced the nation's tidal capacity. AR5 continued this momentum with £10 million ringfenced exclusively for tidal energy, securing contracts for 53 MW of tidal stream projects, further showcasing the technology's viability. As we look forward to AR6, with the largest budget to date at £1.025 billion, the UK's commitment to tidal energy and other renewables is clear.
The recent Marine Energy Wales' State of the Sector Report highlights the significant economic impact of the marine renewable energy sector on the Welsh economy. In the 2023/24 financial year alone, the sector contributed £29.9 million, bringing the total cumulative spending and investment in Wales to an impressive £292.9 million. This year, despite a slowdown from the previous year’s £103.4 million—largely due to the completion of major projects like Morlais and the conclusion of European grant funding—still marks Wales’ second highest spend year to date.
Tidal stream energy has emerged as a major contributor, injecting £116.1 million into the Welsh economy since 2019, primarily driven by the Morlais project and Minesto's tidal kite technology. The sector supports 429 full-time jobs, with a significant number of these in coastal communities such as Anglesey and Pembrokeshire, which are at the forefront of marine energy development.
As Wales continues to strive towards its goal of meeting 100% of its annual electricity needs from renewable energy by 2035, the report from Marine Energy Wales serves as both a reflection of achievements and a call to action. With a projected £486 million spend in floating offshore wind and £384 million in tidal stream over the next five years, the sector's growth prospects remain promising. However, continued support from governmental policies and increased private sector investment will be crucial to overcoming existing barriers and ensuring Wales remains a global leader in marine renewable energy generation.
Blackfish Engineering participated in the recent Marine Energy Wales Members Forum, where the State of the Sector Report was officially released. At this meeting with the UKs leading tidal stream developers and supply chain partners, Blackfish Engineering shared insights for the industry taken from over a decade of tidal stream development work.
Introducing Tidal Generation Limited (TGL)
Tidal Generation Limited (TGL) was established in 2005 with a mission to develop and commercialize cutting-edge tidal stream turbines. Based in Bristol, UK, TGL aimed to address the technical challenges of converting tidal energy into electricity. The company quickly became a leader in the tidal energy sector, renowned for its innovative technology and significant contributions to renewable energy.
Technical Details of TGL's Technology
TGL developed horizontal-axis tidal stream turbines characterized by their robust design and innovative deployment methods. The turbines featured:
Three-bladed rotor with variable pitch control: Designed for optimal energy extraction from tidal currents.
Buoyant nacelle and removable winch: Facilitated easy installation and maintenance by allowing the turbine to be floated and winched down to a tripod foundation.
Yaw capability: Novel clamp and thruster combination to reposition the turbine into the oncoming tide, maximising yield.
Wet mate connector stab system: Enabled reliable electrical connections underwater, reducing deployment times and risks associated with deck-based connection methods.
TGL Chronology and Key Milestones
2005: TGL founded in Bristol, UK.
2010: Deployment of the 500 kW DeepGen 3 turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland.
2012: DeepGen 3 turbine surpasses 200 MWh of electricity generation for the national grid.
2013: Alstom acquires TGL from Rolls-Royce for £16 million.
2013: Successful connection of the 1 MW DeepGen 4 turbine to the EMEC site, demonstrating a novel deployment and retrieval method.
2015: General Electric (GE) acquires Alstom's power and grid business, including TGL.
2016: GE shuts down TGL, discontinuing the 1.4 MW Oceade turbine project in the mechanical design stage.
Introducing Jon Powell, MD of Blackfish Engineering
Jon Powell, the Managing Director of Blackfish Engineering, played a crucial role at TGL as the Assembly and Test Package Manager for the 1 MW tidal stream turbine. His responsibilities included overseeing the assembly and rigorous testing of the turbine to ensure its reliability and performance. This role was critical as it directly impacted the success and deployment of the technology, providing Jon with profound insights into the intricacies of tidal stream development.
Lessons Learned from Jon Powell
1. Design for Transportation (DfX)
Transporting a 24-meter, 100-tonne turbine from Fife to Orkney was a logistical challenge that required meticulous planning. Early in the design phase, TGL imposed height constraints based on the cargo deck headroom of the Northlink ferry in Aberdeen. Despite these precautions, additional height restrictions on the route to Aberdeen meant that the turbine could not turn right onto the M90. Instead, a short excursion over the Firth of Forth and back again was needed to point the turbine north, requiring the complete closure of the Forth road bridge to other traffic. This experience highlighted the necessity of designing systems with transportation in mind from the outset.
Transportation of TGL's tidal turbine by sea and land
2. Test, Test, Test
A detailed Verification and Validation (V&V) program is essential for ensuring the reliability of tidal stream turbines. Tidal sites are hostile places with very small windows for marine operations, so derisking technology and operations before embarking upon deployed operations is critical. At TGL, extensive testing of all systems, subsystems, and assemblies was conducted. This included deploying a dummy winch frame and conducting buoyancy tests at the Orkney nursery site. Thorough testing ensured that the turbines were ready for deployment, significantly reducing the risk of failures in the field and the associated costs and delays.
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3. Strong Local Partnerships
Setting up operations in remote locations like the Orkney Islands posed significant challenges. TGL established a substantial quayside facility with storage, workshops, and welfare facilities, relying heavily on the local Orcadian supply chain. Collaborating with local partners was vital, as it was costly to get support to the site quickly. Developing strong local relationships and utilizing regional resources made operations more efficient and cost-effective.
4. Adapt and Innovate
Experience brings new perspectives, leading to new approaches and concepts. TGL continuously improved its recovery process based on operational feedback. Adapting and innovating in response to challenges ensured that TGL remained ahead in the rapidly evolving tidal energy sector. This flexibility and willingness to innovate are crucial for the success of current and future tidal stream projects.
Conclusion
Blackfish Engineering: The Innovators' Engineer
Blackfish Engineering continues to build on the expertise gained from TGL projects. We help ocean renewable energy (ORE) technology and project developers accelerate their time to market by providing domain-specific engineering expertise throughout the life cycle of product development and commercial operation.
At Blackfish Engineering, we support our clients with mechanical design, systems integration, and project engineering needs. From early-stage technology innovation through commercial launch and ongoing operation, we provide a scalable engineering resource with highly relevant domain expertise that speeds up time-to-market, reduces project risk, and increases both customer and investor confidence. We have unrivaled ORE domain expertise and offer agile and scalable engineering design services that help leaders, engineers, and product development managers control R&D costs, iterate more efficiently, and get a minimum viable product (MVP) to market more quickly.
Our team offers expert engineering support to project developers, owners, and investors. We address mission-critical engineering challenges and manage both technical and economic risks in the delivery of renewable energy projects. Our reliable, domain-specific engineering support extends across the entire project lifecycle, encompassing feasibility, detailed design, deployment, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning.
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