The Welsh Government has taken an £8 million equity stake in what will become the largest consented tidal energy project in Europe.
The area – now known as Morlais – was designated as the West Anglesey Demonstration Zone for tidal energy by the Crown Estate in 2014. Against international competition, Anglesey-based social enterprise Menter Môn secured the lease.
The investment will help fund the next phase of the project, which will see the grid connection strengthened at Holyhead.
The project covers an area of 35Km² of the seabed near Anglesey and has the potential to generate up to 240MW of low carbon clean electricity. Enough for around 180,000 typical Welsh homes.
The unique project will see Morlais installing the required infrastructure, including a connection to the national grid and a substation on the shore nearby.
Rather than generating energy themselves however, they will offer various turbine development companies ‘plug and play’ access to the site. As such, electricity could be generated by a variety of technologies, including seabed mounted and floating tidal energy devices.
Four developers have already been awarded Contracts for Difference to supply power to the GB grid at a guaranteed price.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said: ‘We want to make Wales a world centre for emerging tidal technologies and we’re off to a good start on several fronts.
‘Our investment will support Menter Môn Morlais to scale up capacity, and develop an industrial cluster for tidal energy and innovation in north Wales, whilst delivering jobs and growth through its pioneering technology, keeping the value local.
‘This will further benefit clean energy suppliers of all sizes and position Wales at the forefront of the energy transition.’
Dafydd Gruffydd, Managing Director of Menter Môn said: ‘We welcome the Minister’s announcement, which strengthens our ability to deliver clean energy and local jobs through the Morlais project. This funding supports our vision to position north Wales as a leader in tidal energy innovation, creating opportunities for growth and collaboration across the region.’
John Idris Jones, Chair of Menter Môn Morlais Limited added: ‘This funding demonstrates the Welsh Government’s commitment to renewable energy and the significant role tidal power can play in our energy future. By supporting projects like Morlais, we are not only unlocking the potential of our natural resources but also laying the foundation for a resilient, green economy in north Wales.’