The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tidal power scheme wins €20m boost from Europe
EC cash to build out new phase of MeyGen tidal power development
A major Scottish tidal power development has been awarded more than €20 million of European cash.
The grant funding from the European Commission is for the Demotide scheme – a second six megawatt array that will adjoin the existing Atlantis Resources MeyGen operation in the Pentland Firth.
The funding is to be used to demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of drilled foundation systems and larger rotor diameter turbines with a view to driving down the costs of tidal power generation.
“The Demotide project is the next significant step in delivering cost-effective, reliable tidal stream generation for Europe,” Atlantis Resources chief executive Tim Cornelius said.
“MeyGen is the world’s most highprofile tidal stream project and we are delighted to be working with the European Commission and this world leading consortium of marine renewable energy experts to ensure that Europe remains at the forefront of tidal power knowledge creation.
“This project will help the tidal stream industry demonstrate reductions in the price per unit of electricity by increasing the energy yield per pound of investment.
“Demotide will set tidal on a path to cost parity with offshore wind by 2020.”
Demotide is a consortium including Atlantis group company Marine Current Turbines, Deme – which itself comprises Blue Energy and GeoSea – Innosea and Queen’s University, Belfast.
Joury van Gijseghem, general manager of Deme Blue Energy, said the project allowed it to build on the turbine foundation works it completed for the MeyGen Phase 1A array.
“The Demotide project will open up opportunities for commercial-scale tidal power development right across Europe and we believe that GeoSea will play an important role in the roll-out of tidal power across Europe for many years to come,” Mr van Gijseghem said.
Innosea Marine Engineering CEO Hakim Mouslim, said: “MeyGen has set the pace for commercial tidal power plants development, and we are eager to use our engineering experience for the next phase of this world-leading tidal stream project.
“Innosea will be bringing additional engineering and operational support strength to the Demotide consortium with an objective of making tidal energy costs more competitive within the offshore renewables market.”