Editor’s Pick: Highlights of 2016

 
Tidal Energy Today’s editors have compiled the list of news from tidal and wave energy sectors that have marked the year behind us.

FORESEA backs 10 ocean energy technology developers

An €11 million EU-funded FORESEA initiative has selected ten ocean energy developers to demonstrate their technologies at Europe’s world-leading ocean energy test facilities. The support will help commercialize these technologies by providing free access through tailored support packages to the network of test centers which includes EMEC, SEM-REV, SmartBay and Dutch Tidal Testing Centre. The selected companies are Aquantis Technology, CorPower Ocean, GEPS Techno, Laminaria, Mako Turbines, Nautricity, Pytheas Technology, QED Naval, Seacurrent, and Zyba.

Cape Sharp Tidal exports first power to Nova Scotia grid

The first, out of two planned turbines for the Cape Sharp Tidal project in the Bay of Fundy, is now producing enough energy to power 500 Nova Scotia homes. The turbine was deployed at the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE) site on November 7, 2016. The second turbine for the project will be deployed in 2017.

France targets 100 MW of tidal, wave projects by 2023

France has revealed the revised offshore renewable energy targets for 2023 setting the goal for installed marine renewable energy projects at 100 MW by 2023. The French government’s plan includes the revised goals for offshore wind as well, setting the target of installed capacity at 3000 MW by 2023.

AquaHarmonics scoops $1.5M US wave prize

AquaHarmonics has been declared a winner of US Department of Energy’s Wave Energy Prize challenge, securing a $1.5 million cash prize following an 18-month long competition. Ninety-two teams registered for the competition back in April 2015, for which the main goal was to develop game-changing wave energy devices that will ultimately reduce the cost of wave energy.

Chinese 3.4MW tidal device starts generating power

The 3.4MW tidal energy device, developed by China, has started generating limited amounts of power. The two turbines installed on the device with the combined capacity of 1MW have run successfully in the southern waters off Xiushan Island. The additional five turbines, with the capacity of 2.4MW, will be gradually launched, increasing the device’s capacity up to 3.4MW.

 
Wave energy device hits Bimep waters

Oceantec Energías Marinas deployed its wave energy device, dubbed Marmok-A5, off the north coast of Spain at Bimep testing site in October, 2016. The deployment is part of EU-funded OPERA project whose main goal is to halve the cost of wave energy.

Scotrenewables installs SR2000 tidal device

Scotrenewables Tidal Power installed the SR2000 tidal turbine on its moorings at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) as part of site commissioning and testing during October, 2016. Scotrenewables completed all site construction and installation work for the 2MW unit, including installation of the 500 tonne turbine itself, using locally available workboat vessels.

International crew to test at Morlais tidal demo zone

Eight tidal energy developers have secured access to berths from Menter Môn, the third-party manager for the Morlais tidal energy project off the coast of Anglesey, Wales. The consenting work and grid connection process for the West Anglesey Demonstration Zone is ongoing, and these 8 commitments will provide added impetus to progress them.

First MeyGen turbine goes full throttle

The first turbine installed as part of the MeyGen project Phase 1A has started operating at full speed early in December, 2016. Atlantis Resources, the developer behind the project, deemed the operation at full power as ‘significant’ because it allows for validation of the power curve models which underpin the financial assumptions of the project, which represents another significant de-risking event for the industry.

Carnegie kick-starts Wave Hub project

Carnegie Wave Energy has in November formally launched its 15MW CETO Wave Hub project in the presence of UK government officials. First phase of the project will see the installation and operation of a single 1MW grid-connected CETO 6 wave energy converter at the Wave Hub test site in the UK.

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