Introduction
The energy contained in ocean waves is a huge potential source of renewable energy, and the UK has wave power levels that are among the highest in the world. Wave energy is a concentrated form of solar energy. Ocean waves are created by the interaction of the wind with the surface of the sea. They travel great distances without significant losses and so act as an efficient energy transport mechanism across thousands of kilometres. The energy can be captured by various devices, which produce enough movement either of air or water to drive generators that converts the energy into electricity.
South west focus
The south west has very good wave energy resources, particularly the areas exposed to the prevailing westerly ocean swell, broadly the sea area offshore from Ilfracombe to the Isles of Scilly.
The region is supporting the UK’s efforts to exploit wave energy, principally through the development of the Wave Hub project, which will speed up the commercialisation of wave energy converters. The Wave Hub concept is to build an electrical grid connection point approximately 12 miles off Hayle in Cornwall into which wave energy devices would be connected. The South West RDA has approved £21.5 million of funding to construct Wave Hub, subject to UK government and EU approval. The Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has also committed £4.5 million to the project.
Wave Hub could generate £76 million over 25 years for the regional economy. It will create at least 170 jobs and possibly hundreds more by creating a new wave-power industry in South West England. Four developers are currently negotiating to connect to Wave Hub. These are Ocean Prospect /E.ON, Ocean Power Technologies Inc, Fred Olsen Ltd, and Oceanlinx. The project received consent from BERR and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in September 2007, and could be commissioned by 2009.
