Half million DECC award for Deep Green tidal power 25 February 2014

DECC (the Department of Energy and Climate Change) has awarded more than £500,000 to marine energy specialist Minesto, IT Power and NPL (the National Physical Laboratory) to extend their quarter-scale trials of the Deep Green tidal current power plant in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland.

Its part of the second round of the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund, which will support this next phase of the proving project, estimated to cost some £900,000.

Enthusiastic Minesto CEO Anders Jansson emphasises the point that DECC clearly realises the potential for Deep Greento unlock energy from low-velocity tidal currents.

"It proves that governments have confidence in our technology," he says.

And he adds: "In the UK alone, Deep Green technology has a carbon reduction potential of over 30 million tons of CO2 per year."

The objective of the project is to verify survivability, prove performance and commercial viability using an existing 1:4 scale prototype of the tidal power plant in real ocean conditions.

Data from the long-term ocean trials will be scaled up to commercial scale to gain further understanding of Deep Green's market potential.

"[Deep Green] is a unique concept in the tidal energy field, which can unlock previously inaccessible deep water, low flow resources, thereby enhancing the practical global contribution that tidal stream energy can have on meeting our energy needs," comments IT Power CEO David Nickols.

And Rhys Lewis, head of NPL's Time, Quantum and Electromagnetics Division, adds. "I am pleased we are able to provide the metrology in this tidal project in the renewable energy arena, supporting innovation and helping to implement key government strategies."

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
IT Power Ltd
Minesto UK Ltd
NPL Management Ltd

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