Is the States shying away from tidal power – if so, why?
IN RESPONSE to Richard Wheadon’s letter in the Guernsey Press on 31 July 2023 on the electricity generation strategy, in which he makes a number of thoughtful and valid points, I’d like to add some further colour on a tidal power option which wasn’t particularly evident in the final report presented by the Environment & Infrastructure Committee in June 2023.
I’ve been involved in the international energy sector for much of the last 40 years or so. Following some research, I signed an agreement with a Scottish based group, Orbital Marine, about 18 months ago. Orbital Marine have been successfully generating electricity and selling into the UK grid for over two years using their tidal stream technology (their excellent website is worth a visit).
After some due diligence and commissioning a report on potential suitable offshore locations around Guernsey, I introduced the idea to E&I president Deputy de Sausmarez and her team, setting out the concept for the development of a commercial scale (20-40MW) tidal stream power component as part of the broader energy supply matrix.
I was gratified by the positive feedback from Deputy de Sausmarez and team and we set up a meeting with senior management at Orbital Marine in early Q4, 2022, which most of the committee members attended and interacted positively with the Orbital team.
But, as noted by Mr Wheadon, the June 2023 final report essentially quoted the 2022 Siemens Consultant Report, which concluded that the tidal stream technology wasn’t yet ‘commercially viable’.
It is clear that the Channel Islands and the western coast of Normandy have very significant tidal-stream power generating potential. Thus, it was an opportunity for Guernsey to become a ‘showcase’ for this technology on a commercial scale, with its many tangible and intangible benefits.
My objectives in promoting this technology were that it must be both commercially viable and also make a material contribution to Guernsey’s power supply.
That required a significant scaling up with 10-12 linked production units, producing some +30MW of generation capacity; with commerciality being achieved through ‘economies of scale’ both in the construction and operating phases.
So why wasn’t this embraced? Firstly, Orbital Marine have a business model which is highly dependent on very substantial long-term UK subsidies; that needs to evolve if this technology is going to become a commercial reality. Secondly, as readers are probably aware, the States isn’t renowned as a ‘hotbed’ for innovation or decision-making.
Guernsey currently has probably the lowest-cost long-term electricity supply contract in Europe, but this contract will expire in a few years’ time.
While the publication of the report and transparency is in many ways to be welcomed, I can’t help but be concerned that the French government (the owner of EDF) will be in a very strong position to dictate all the key terms for the next long-term supply contract. I’m not sure that’s a table I’d like to have a seat at.
MICHAEL WOOD
St Peter Port