Tidal power developer Simec Atlantis Energy will expand its MeyGen project, adding at least two of its new tidal turbines to the 6MW array, off the Scottish coast.
The new turbines will be able to generate up to 2MW more, using more powerful generators and larger rotor diameters to achieve cost reductions.
The turbines will use a new subsea connection hub and share a single export cable, further reducing project infrastructure costs by removing the requirement for a dedicated export cable for each turbine, the company said.
Simec Atlantis Energy is targeting first power generation through the new subsea connection in late 2019, subject to consents and funding.
The proposed works, known as Project Stroma, will benefit from a €16.8m revenue support package under the European Commission’s NER300 programme. The MeyGen extension also aims to make extensive use of the Scottish supply chain.
Simec Atlantis Energy chief executive Tim Cornelius said: “Project Stroma will be an important enabler for the subsequent extension of the MeyGen site by a further 80MW, and ultimately to the full site capacity of 400MW.
“Nearby sites in the Pentland Firth offer significant further growth potential as part of the UK’s total potential of 8500MW. Worldwide, tidal stream represents a 99,000MW development opportunity for clean, secure and predictable energy at a cost competitive with other forms of green energy.”
Simec Atlantis Energy has also entered a joint venture with Development Agency for Normandy, the regional agency for economic development in the Normandy region of France, and regional investment fund Normandie Participations, to develop a tidal energy project in Raz Blanchard, Normandie.
Simec Atlantis Energy will hold the majority stake in Normandie Hydrolienne, which has been established with the intention of harnessing up to 2GW of power from the Alderney Race, the eight-mile strait that runs between Alderney and La Hague, France.
The JV is also targeting more than 1GW from adjacent concessions under the control of the States of Alderney.
Combined, Normandie Hydrolienne has the potential to provide more power than the Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station in Somerset, England and at a lower cost, said Simec Atlantis Energy.
The project developer will prepare an application for consent to build a multi-hundred-megawatt tidal energy project in Raz Blanchard, working closely with ADEME and all relevant government ministries to obtain all necessary approvals.
The 2MW horizontal axis turbines will be built in France.
Cornelius said: “Raz Blanchard is sitting on a huge amount of renewable, predictable energy and we wish to bring our project development, financing and power production expertise to help the region of Normandie create jobs and attract a substantial amount of investment into the region.”