1 / 18

Tidal Power Projections

Tidal Power Projections. Tom Beagan 24 th February 2005. The Tidal Resource. The UK has a significant proportion of the world’s tidal power It can be harnessed in 2 forms: Tidal Barrage Tidal Stream. Tidal Barrage. Requires a tidal basin at least 5m tidal difference

Download Presentation

Tidal Power Projections

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Tidal Power Projections Tom Beagan 24th February 2005

  2. The Tidal Resource The UK has a significant proportion of the world’s tidal power It can be harnessed in 2 forms: • Tidal Barrage • Tidal Stream

  3. Tidal Barrage • Requires a tidal basin • at least 5m tidal difference • Few suitable sites in the world • La Rance (right) only large one, 240MW capacity • Potential for an 8460 MW barrage across the Severn

  4. Tidal Barrage Benefits • Continuous electricity source • Pollution free (except construction) • Low cost after completion Limitations • High capital cost (resulting in high cost of electricity) • Environmental impact: sediment flows, species migration • Hinders navigation • Visual impact • Can’t control peak generation time

  5. Tidal Stream • The newer method of tidal generation • Devices placed in strong tidal streams around UK • Possible devices: • ‘Seagen’ (right) up to 1MW • Stingray (aerofoil) 150KW

  6. Tidal Stream Benefits • Small environmental and visual impact • Large Potential resource in UK waters • No pollution Limitations • Technology in early stage of development • Devices expensive = expensive electricity • Tidal streams are a long way from large populations • Electricity loss through transmission • Low load factor 39% average (carbon trust)

  7. The Future for Tidal Barrage Hmmm! Artists impression of the proposed Severn barrage

  8. The Future for Tidal Barrage There are 3 large barrage proposals in UK • The Severn – 8640 MW by far the largest in UK • The Mersey – 700MW • Orkney Churchill Barriers – 300MW Several smaller proposals • Duddon estuary (Cumbria) – 100MW • Wyre estuary (Lancashire) – 63.6 MW • Conwy (North Wales) – 33.4 MW • Loughor (Swansea) – 5 MW

  9. Why aren’t they being built? • Mainly financial reasons • Severn 8.6GW scheme ‘uneconomical’ • High capital costs and few jobs after completion • Electricity will be too expensive • Environmental reasons • Large opposition from pressure groups • Extent of possible damage unknown • Big risk • Turn towards Tidal Stream • Interest is building • Acquiring more funding and investment

  10. What can we expect from barrage? • Unlikely to be any sizeable schemes between now and 2030 except maybe Orkney (existing barrier) To increase likelihood • Need a reduction in capital costs • Improvement in power capture efficiency • Possible tidal lagoon in Severn? FOE Projection • 2010 – 0 MW • 2015 – 0 MW • 2020 – Up to 300 MW if Orkney gets go ahead • 2030 – 300 MW

  11. The Future for Tidal Stream

  12. The Future for Tidal Stream The future is bright! • Size of resource 22 TWH/yr most recent prediction • Most advanced design is double turbine ‘seagen’ capable of over 1 MW capacity • 300 KW single turbine being tested in Bristol Channel currently outperforming expectations by 27% Problem? • High cost of technology currently over £2M for a single unit • Funding gap, businesses can’t afford to build prototypes

  13. The Future for Tidal Stream Solution • Aug ’04 Marine Renewables Development Fund to be set up • Grants of £5M to suitable investors Result • 1 MW prototype  Tests and technological improvements • Grid connected ‘farm’ of 3-5 devices  Tests • Tidal farm will grow to 20+ devices  Tests • Several farms will be created in different sites • Improved technology will bring prices down, large growth

  14. Tidal Stream Projections

  15. Tidal Stream Projections Carbon trust total tidal stream extractable: • 22 TWh/year • That requires a 2.5 GW supply • This will need 6435 double turbines (LF 39%) Can we do this by 2030? • That’s 257 Seagen a year from now until 2030 I don’t think so!!!

  16. What can we expect? • 2010 – 1 Seagen (1MW) probably grid installed • 0.39 MW = 0.01 PJ • 2015 – 25 Seagen grid operational • 9.75 MW = 0.31 PJ • 2020 – 100 operational • 39 MW = 1.23 PJ Capital cost cheaper, Each unit now 1.5 MW • 2025 – 350 operational (around 50 per year) • 205 MW = 6.46 PJ • 2030 – 750 operational (around 80 per year) • 439 MW = 13.8 PJ

  17. Stream plus Barrage • Orkney tidal barrage (300MW) likely by 2020 • Load factor around 23% • Therefore 69 MW = 2.18 PJ 2020 –3.14 PJ 2025 –8.46 PJ 2030–16 PJ But this is an optimistic projection!

  18. Conclusion • Large margin for error • Projections rely on results of testing • Transmission costs not accounted for • Hydrogen? • Main barrier FINANCIAL

More Related