Western Gateway’s Post

What Happened to Tidal Lagoon Power? 🌊⚡ Tidal Lagoon Power had an ambitious plan: to build the world’s first tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay, South Wales. The £1.3 billion project aimed to harness the natural ebb and flow of the tides to generate renewable energy using a series of turbines within a U-shaped seawall. This lagoon was expected to generate 320 MW of electricity, enough to power over 150,000 homes annually for over a century. Despite initial government support and widespread interest, the project was scrapped in 2018. The main reason? Cost. The UK government determined that offshore wind could generate similar amounts of energy for a third of the price. Although the project had immense potential, the economics didn’t add up, and the project was deemed too expensive to pursue. Tidal Lagoon Power faced significant financial struggles, including accumulating £23 million in debt, and the project was abandoned. Shifting Currents While the Swansea Bay project didn’t come to life, tidal energy is far from dead. Tidal Lagoon Power’s efforts have paved the way for future discussions about marine energy, but they also highlight the ongoing challenge of making these technologies commercially viable. Sometimes, it’s not just about innovation—it’s about finding the right balance between cost and scalability. As we continue this series, tomorrow’s post will explore yet another example of how cleantech visionaries have had to adapt or face the tough realities of the market. Stay tuned for the next story. 🌍

"One of the biggest challenges with renewable energy is its inconsistency: clouds might block the sun one day, or winds die down. But there are always waves in the ocean—even on calm days, and even at night. Harvesting wave power, though, has been historically difficult. Now, a project off the coast of Oregon hopes to change that, by providing a testing ground for wave energy to become a reality." #cleanenergy

You all know I am keen on renewable energy (the economics for me are the crucial aspect, plus the long-term implications) - so when I hear about a marine generation in the US that could provide a testing ground for equipment that could be (later) considered for use in the Cook Straight (NZ) - it has my attention. Especially when you read this "We're paying almost $0.20 per kilowatt-hour," Peacock said. That is nearly double the national average of $0.12 per kWh in 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Now add in the resilience that distributed generation and micro-grids bring.... #marine #generation #electrification https://lnkd.in/g_v5qNB8

https://lnkd.in/gzCRZjrQ I find it fascinating the way in which political leaning appears to influence the way in which we prioritize the benefits of transitioning to renewable energy.

A small but growing number of countries are well on their way to producing all of their electricity from renewable sources. #Dominica, in the eastern #Caribbean, is planning to join these pioneers and become the first small island developing State (SIDS) to stop using fossil fuels for energy generation with sources such as #geothermalenergy. #Geothermal #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition

As leaders in the ocean energy sector gathered this week in Aviemore at Ocean Energy Europe's annual conference, Crown Estate Scotland published details of the potential for tidal energy projects to reduce costal communities's reliance on expensive fossil fuels. The report looks at how tidal power could help address energy challenges faced by coastal communities and businesses by connecting communities directly to tidal power projects. Various off-take routes were explored, including the potential to produce green hydrogen from tidal energy, which could offer major opportunities for decarbonising industries and manufacturing clean fuels. Read the full story 👇 #TidalEnergy

The best source for energy is renewable energy as it abundant, efficient, needs no maintenance and naturally generated. Human mind is no different than solar energy, wind power or hydropower. The efficient use of human mind to improve our daily task is to say the least that it is wise. A well-defined strategy along with people empowerment can easily guarantee the best utilization of such green energy to achieve the desired, unlimited vision.

The ocean is Earth's largest untapped renewable energy source. The energy potential of waves and tides can provide hundreds of gigawatts of clean power.

The UK's energy regulator Ofgem has revealed that almost half of the energy projects in the country must wait up to 5 years for grid connection. Some projects may even have to wait more than a decade. This delay is a significant obstacle to achieving the UK's 2030/50 energy targets. It's time to address this urgent issue. Are you waiting for your plant to go live? Share your thoughts. #UKenergy #gridconnection #energytargets #renewableenergy