Wave and Tidal

The wave and tidal current stream energy sectors are high potential future markets. Little operational capacity is currently installed, with the majority of technologies still in the development stage. Despite still being a very much embryonic industry, successful prototype installations are taking place and future market leaders are already emerging in both sectors. Grid connected prototypes are helping prove the concept of individual technologies and establish the first power purchase agreements from wave and tidal technology.

Unlike the offshore wind industry where the turbines are now all fairly standard, the different technologies in the wave and tidal sectors are at present very different in principle. Tidal current turbines are the most standard in design, in essence being an underwater wind turbine, but even in this sub-sector there are differences in design.

Ultimately a range of technologies will emerge as commercial scale competitors, but only the strongest of these will survive in the long term as the market place becomes more competitive. A greater similarity in design can be expected in each sub-sector over the period covered by this report. There is such a large number of concept devices that only those with the highest potential will move forward because of the limited funding and financing available to them.

The first commercial ‘wave farm' was installed in the summer of 2006 off Portugal. The 2.25 MW development uses three of Ocean Power Delivery's Pelamis wave energy converters.

Coupled with one of the best natural resources in the world, the UK has an excellent base of technology developers including many of the market leaders for both wave and tidal current stream including, Marine Current Turbines, Ocean Power Delivery, Wavegen, The Engineering Business etc. Government support to developers has been encouraging to date, but other European countries such as Portugal have market incentives that are attracting UK developers.

*Taken from the EEEGR business plan 2007-2010 

(image - Pelamis, from Ocean Power Delivery. Supplied by Renewables East)