UK unveils its first full-scale tidal power generator

A full-scale tidal power generator to demonstrate the potential for harnessing renewable energy was unveiled in Pembrokeshire, Wales UK, BBC reported.

The underwater turbine in Ramsey Sound would be trialed over a 12 month period with the energy powering homes in St Davids.

Hailing it as a landmark project, first minister Carwyn Jones said it would create jobs and help meet green energy targets.

According to Cardiff-based developers Tidal Energy Ltd, the project would support the case for a larger scheme involving nine turbines.

The 150-tonne generator that rises as high as a seven-storey building has been built in Pembroke Dock by a near-bankrupt firm Mustang Marine.

The generator would deliver energy from tidal currents on the sea bed.

According to Tidal Energy Ltd, the patented DeltaStream device would be Wales' first grid-connected freestanding tidal turbine.

According to director Martin Murphy, the unveiling of the generator was a significant milestone, marking "the birth of the tidal industry in Wales".

Jones said:"We need to show the world we are able to harness the considerable energy that exists in our seas and that we are able to develop the technology necessary to do that.

"This is a landmark project for Wales, which will not only help us to meet our sustainable energy ambitions, but will also provide significant opportunities for local people and businesses," he said.

If the trial were to go well, Tidal Energy hopes to set up a nine more of the generators to deliver 10 MW of power, enough to supply electricity to around 10,000 homes in the area, www.thinkprogress.com reported.

The generator called 'Ysbryd y Mor' meaning 'Spirit of the Sea,' would provide 400 kilowatts of energy to the National Grid. The company's patented DeltaStream technology, utilises a freestanding triangular base and cutting-edge hydraulics to allow for free-turning movement aimed at best capturing tidal currents and generating power.

The anchoring for the device is provided by its own weight eliminating the need for sea bed drilling which is environmentally destructive. The company hopes to minimise maintenance costs too, with the design, which is meant to withstand some of the most turbulent ocean currents, the ones that provide the most power.

This first private marine energy project fully undertaken in Wales, is one of the world's first grid-connected tidal energy sources. Murphy, said the project achieved a number of firsts, ''including those relating to the environmental consents, the grid connection and the installation process - where the turbine and foundation are installed together.''