First Minister Carwyn Jones has announced that Wales’ first full scale tidal stream energy generator has been given the go-ahead following the injection of £6.4m of EU funding.

The money will enable the £11m DeltaStream device, which will generate clean electricity from the tides off the West Wales coast, to be manufactured ready for a trial installation in 2012.

Backed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, the funding provides a vital source of support for Cardiff-based marine renewable energy company, Tidal Energy.

Announcing the funding, the First Minister said: “Investing in renewable energy technologies is vital to build a low carbon economy and help drive forward Wales’ ambitions to become a more sustainable nation.

“We are committed to promoting the generation of clean electricity while protecting our natural environment.

“There is huge potential for marine energy in Wales and projects like DeltaStream will not only help meet our energy targets, but will provide further opportunities for local communities as well as businesses, creating both environmental and economic benefits.”

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Article courtesy of The Western Mail

The Welsh government, perhaps seeing all the ocean power based activity going on in Scotland, is getting in on the game via the Marine Renewable Energy Strategic Framework (MRESF) project, which has just completed five detailed reports about ocean power development in the region. The reports cover a variety of topics, including environmental impact, such as the potential for schools of fish to swim into tidal power turbines.
The MRESF project also produced an interactive mapping system the shows the various locations, and corresponding restraints, marine power development can be undertaken in Wales. The reports conclude that Welsh coastline, nearly 750 miles long, as having enough offshore potential to power up to two million homes.

The MRESF project was started in 2007, and now looks to be wrapping up. Welsh officials, working now with the Crown Estates, have formalised their intention to work together to support Wales’ capacity for marine energy manufacturing and to ensure that deployment of marine renewable energy devices is not delayed by infrastructure requirements at local ports.

Tidal and wave power projects are popping up all over the globe. From a giant program in India, to an LED powering system in Ireland, to a venture in Canada, this form of clean energy may have big potential in the global renewable energy market in the next few years.

Article courtesy of Earth Techling http://tinyurl.com/45awuqh