|
14 September 2006 -- E.ON UK and Ocean Prospect have announced their agreement to work together to develop proposals for a potential 5 MW wave power project in the sea off Cornwall, UK.
The pioneering scheme would be connected to Wave Hub, an offshore electrical 'socket' developed by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA). If approved, Wave Hub would sit on the seabed 10 miles off Hayle in Cornwall and be connected to the distribution network by an underwater cable.
The proposed 5MW project, called WestWave, would consist of up to seven Ocean Power Delivery Pelamis Wave Energy Converters and could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 3,000 households.
"This is a groundbreaking scheme and could eventually be one of the world's first large-scale wave energy farms," Jason Scagell, Director of E.ON UK Renewables, said. "As an island nation it's important that we investigate all of our natural resources -- such as wind and tides as well as waves -- as we look to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we produce.
South West RDA submitted a planning application for Wave Hub in June with a decision expected by the end of the year. The Department of Trade and Industry recently underlined its support for the scheme with a grant of up to £4.5 million. If given the go-ahead, South West RDA expects Wave Hub to begin operating in 2008.
|