Strangford Lough may become major centre for tidal energy

Strangford Lough may become major centre for tidal energy

16 July 2014

PLANS are underway to further develop Strangford Lough into a leading hub for tidal energy.

Opportunities are being explored for the development of a new tidal scheme that would create up to 20MW of electricity from submerged turbines within the lough.

The work may be possible after the Crown Estate, which manages the seabed, announced it has agreed rights for new projects sites across the UK, including Strangford Lough.

As a result, Siemens-owned Marine Current Turbines Ltd (MCT), which operates the existing electricity generating SeaGen turbine in the lough, has secured agreements for three new commercial-scale tidal projects.

The company has five years to examine the viability of its proposed scheme, which would then be subject to planning including a full environmental impact assessment.

The project, if approved, will have the capacity to generate up to 20MW of electricity from 20 turbines, which would be submerged devices that would not pose a hazard to navigation.

SeaGen, which was deployed by Marine Current Turbines Ltd in Strangford Lough in 2008, works like an underwater windmill with rotors driven by the power of the tidal currents. A sonar device stops the blades turning when a marine animal strays too close.

The project could go ahead in 2020 at the earliest.

RenewableUK’s Wave and Tidal Development Manager Dee Nunn said last week’s announcement by the Crown Estate was another major step forward for the industry.

He predicted it would mark the beginning of a significant expansion of the UK’s capacity to harness excellent wave and tidal energy resources.