Feature 3 | environment and renewable energy
Government go-ahead for Wave Hub
At the end of last year the UK Government gave planning approval for the
world’s first large scale wave farm off the coast of Cornwall in south west
England.
T
his £28 million Wave Hub project
(OMT 1Q 2007, page 14), which has
been developed by the South West of
England Regional Development Agency (RDA),
has now cleared the last major regulatory hurdle
and funding has been approved. Wave Hub
is a world first and will include an onshore
substation connected to electrical equipment
on the seabed about 16km offshore, via a subsea
cable.
Juliet Williams, chairman of the South West
RDA, said: ‘This is a huge step forward for Wave
Hub and is a vote of confidence in the RDA’s
ability to create a groundbreaking renewable
energy project in South West England that
will lead the world in the development of wave Funding has now been approved for the wave Hub.
energy technology.’
Companies developing wave energy
technology will be able to plug into Wave Hub £332 million would be generated in South West crucial part of the learning curve for everyone
to test their wave energy devices on a scale never England. with an interest in wave energy development
seen anywhere before. Four companies have Wave Hub could generate enough electricity around the world and will underpin the growing
already been chosen to use Wave Hub. for 7500 homes, directly saving 300,000tonnes confidence in these exciting technologies.’
Wave Hub will put South West England of CO
2
over 25 years. This would support South The Wave Hub project will cover an area of sea
and the UK at the forefront of emerging wave West England’s target for generating 15% of measuring 4km by 2km and each wave device
energy technology by providing a leased and the region’s power from renewable sources by developer will be granted a lease of between
consented area of sea for the pre-commercial 2010. five and 10 years in an area of approximately
testing of wave energy devices. The consent announcement has been 2km
2
. The water at the deployment site is
A new independent economic impact welcomed by Maria McCaffery, chief executive approximately 50m deep.
assessment, commissioned by the RDA, has of the BWEA, the trade and professional body for Up to 30 wave energy devices are expected to
shown that Wave Hub could create 1800 jobs the UK wind and marine renewables industries. be deployed at Wave Hub and will float on the
and £560 million in the UK economy over the She said: ‘This is a fantastic confidence boost for surface of the sea. Wave Hub is expected to be
next 25 years. Almost 1000 of these jobs and this emerging industry. Wave Hub will be a operational in 2009. OMT
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20 Offshore Marine Techology 1st Quarter 2008
OMT 1stQ 08 - p20b.indd 20 11/02/2008 16:16:11
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