Marine energy 'station' first to get paid for power it generates

Marine Current Turbines’ SeaGen tidal energy system, first deployed in Northern Ireland’s Strangfor Lough in May 2008, has just been accredited by OFGEM, the UK energy regulator, for ROCs (Renewable Energy Certificates) – meaning it is now effectively a commercial power station.

SeaGen is a 1.2 megawatt (MW) twin turbine tidal energy system that works by generating power from sea currents using a pair of axial flow turbines that drive generators through gearboxes, using similar principles to wind generation technology. The accredited tidal energy system currently generates power for the equivalent of about 1000 homes via the local grid.

Martin Wright, managing director of Marine Current Turbines (MCT) described the ROCs accreditation as a "significant step forward" for the company and the marine renewable energy sector.

"It is the first time that a tidal current system has been officially recognised as a commercial power station," he said. "Up until now, marine renewable technologies have not gone beyond the research and development phase. SeaGen has changed all that. SeaGen is now consistently producing full power to the grid and is performing just as we expected."

At 1.2 MW capacity, Seagen is the world’s most powerful marine energy device to be grid connected.

However, Wright said MCT still had serious concerns about the levels of current investment flowing into the marine energy sector. “The Government’s forthcoming Renewable Energy Strategy Review is critical to clean-tech companies such as Marine Current Turbines. The current investment climate is the worst in living memory and following the announcement to increase the ROC multiple to two for offshore wind, there is effectively no market to pull marine energy forward.

"It will be vital that the Government addresses this is in its Renewable Energy Strategy Review and takes urgent action. If not, there is a significant risk that tidal power will suffer the same fate that befell the British wind industry: no home-grown manufacturing and engineering jobs.”