Offshore staff
PENRYN, UK — HydroWing has opened a new office at the M-SParc science park on the island of Anglesey in North Wales to support development of its Morlais tidal stream energy project.
Under the UK government’s latest contracts for difference bid round, the company secured an allocation for a 10-MW development. Commercial manager Osian Roberts will head up the team at the new office.
According to HydroWing’s Richard Parkinson, commercialization of tidal stream energy has to date been held back by high operations and maintenance costs. The company claims its technology can provide lower-cost, reliable energy worldwide.
The system is based on a patented modular design said to improve the cost-efficiency and production of tidal stream energy, and it will be deployed at Morlais, near Holy Island, Anglesey, in 2027.
A supporting structure sits on the seabed, under its own weight. The wings, which hold the turbines, are then lowered into position on the structure.
The turbines are bi-directional, generating power as the tide comes in and as it goes out, and are also claimed to be cost-effective to produce at scale. Morlais could generate up to 240 MW of electricity.
Morlais will also provide the required infrastructure at the 35-km zone, including a connection to the national grid and a substation on the shore, and it will rent berths to various turbine development companies.
