Isle of Wight submits tidal energy bid
Greenwise Staff
23rd February 2011
The Isle of Wight has submitted a bid to Government to build a £30 million tidal energy facility in the Solent.
The
Isle of Wight Council unveiled plans for the
Solent Ocean Energy Centre this week. It forms part of a £21 million bid submitted to the Government’s Regional Growth
Fund last month.
The initial tidal scheme being proposed by the Isle of Wight Council could be ready as early as 2014 and would involve small one megawatt (MW) devices off the west coast of the island and larger 10MW arrays off St Catherine’s Point south of the island. It would also include an onshore
research and development and tidal turbine production centre.
Giant tidal scheme
Eventually, however, the council would like to see a 250MW tidal scheme established, which would be large enough to power the island and could create up to 600 jobs for the island, plus another 4000 for the UK. The £1.1 billion scheme would be privately financed.
The plans follow the news last week that a giant offshore wind farm is
being planned eight miles south west of The Needles and the Isle of
Wight coast.
Eco Island
The Isle of Wight Council first began investigating tidal energy for the island three years ago with the University of Southampton when it launched its Eco Island agenda. Britain has the best marine energy resources in Europe and the Isle of Wight is seen as strong candidate for a tidal scheme because marine currents, although generally diffuse, are concentrated where sea flows are channelled through constraining land mass, such as islands and straits.
"This is one of our major plays in terms of the Eco Island agenda," Economy cabinet member Cllr George Brown told the
Isle of Wight County Press. "There has been progress with wind and solar developments and we are now moving into tidal energy as well. It would have a huge impact in green energy and job creation."
The Isle of Wight Council will hear in June if its application has been successful.
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