Chance ‘missed’ over tidal energy
TEES VALLEY inventors have welcomed plans to build one of the world’s largest tidal energy farms in UK waters - but said it was a huge missed opportunity for British technology.
Scottish Power, the energy firm behind the plans, which yesterday revealed it was looking at three sites, is investing in up to 60 Norwegian-built underwater turbines, generating enough power for 40,000 homes.
The 30m tall Lanstrom structures will sit on the seabed, harnessing renewable energy from the predictable movement of the tides. But the technology is not believed to be as advanced as that developed on Teesside.
Colin Pearce, director of Darlington-based C-Power, which has tested the Infin8 tidal prototype upstream of the Tees Barrage, said it was “great that people are taking tidal forward”, but using Norwegian devices was “regrettable” when British alternatives were available. “It would be good to see more advanced design being used, for higher efficiency and lower costs.”
Graeme Mackie, chief executive of Ocean Flow Energy in North Shields, whose Evopod tidal turbine was also tested at the Tees Barrage last year and is now undergoing open sea testing off Northern Ireland, said it was “disappointing” that UK technology had been snubbed.
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