Projects to be supported through the Marine Energy Accelerator with Pelamis Wave Power and Marine Current Turbines will focus on installation and maintenance which currently account for up to 50% of the project costs of wave and tidal energy and could delay more deployment if not reduced, the company said.
In addition, the Carbon Trust and Pelamis Wave Power are investigating a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that is expected to assist with manoeuvring the machines into position. They will also integrate remote control technology into existing systems which would enable deployment in rougher seas.
These developments are expected to help reduce vessel and equipment requirements and make installation and maintenance cheaper, thereby reducing the overall cost of the energy generated.
Alongside work with Pelamis Wave Power, the Carbon Trust is also supporting a project with Marine Current Turbines to develop a way to deploy its SeaGen tidal energy system. The new method will involve a remotely operated subsea drilling platform which will install foundation piles in advance of the main turbine support structure being deployed in a single unit. This is expected to enable smaller and less expensive support vessels to be used for the offshore works.
Carbon Trust is providing £250,000 for the Pelamis project and a further £150,000 for a feasibility study on the MCT foundations technology. The MCT technology is likely to be tested in a disused quarry, and if it performs as expected, it will be used in SeaGen’s next deployment off Anglesey where the company is working with RWE npower renewables to deploy a 10MW tidal farm, using seven SeaGens, said the company.
These two projects form part of the wider Carbon Trust’s Marine Energy Accelerator programme, which brings together device developers, component technology manufacturers, engineering consultants and academic research groups to accelerate cost reduction in the industry.
Mark Williamson, director of innovations at the Carbon Trust, said: “Innovation in the deployment and maintenance of wave and tidal devices will be critical in cutting the cost of marine energy and unlocking the potential of this fantastic renewable energy resource.
“Our analysis shows that the UK is already leading the world in wave energy. If we can bring down the costs of deploying this technology, we will be able to generate marine energy on a scale that will help meet our 2020 renewable target and deliver significant economic value as well.”
