| Ecotricity has confirmed it has entered
the marine energy sector, announcing ambitious plans to install
200 SeaRaser wave power devices off the UK coast within the
next five years.
The company believes the 240kW device has the potential to
produce electricity at just 2p per kilowatt hour (kWh), which
is not only significantly lower than the UK government's projections
for all other renewable energy technologies, but also undercuts
new nuclear power, which is estimated to cost 10p/kWh and
natural gas power which costs 8p/kWh.
An Ecotricity
spokesman told BusinessGreen the company has invested
an undisclosed amount to purchase a controlling stake in the
technology, which was pioneered by inventor Alvin Smith and
now plans to commercialise, install and market the SeaRaser
itself.
"This is a British invention that could transform the energy
market not just here in Britain, but around the world," added
Ecotricity founder Dale Vince in a statement. "Our plan is
to develop the technology and make them here in Britain, bringing
green jobs as well as green energy to our country."
The device produces electricity by using the effect of the
ocean's movement on a piston attached to a buoy on the surface
of the water and another suspended underwater to force pressurised
seawater through a pipe to an onshore turbine.
It also provides the option of supplying energy on demand
by pumping seawater into a storage reservoir that can then
be released through a generator as required.
Sea trials of a smaller demonstration model have already
taken place, the company spokesman added, with a commercial
scale device expected to be in the water next year.
He said Ecotricity decided the time was right for a full
scale roll out of the technology after the Crown Estate reduced
the down-payment required by wave and tidal developers to
obtain a lease option from £25m to £5m and the government
last autumn unveiled plans to increase subsidy support for
the sector.
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