HydroWing opens new base in Wales to deliver its groundbreaking tidal energy projectHydroWing has kicked off the New Year by opening a new office in Wales, to support the development of their innovative tidal stream energy project at Morlais on Anglesey.
The company has been awarded a contract through the latest round of the UK Government’s ‘Contracts for Difference’ allocation for a 10 MW tidal stream energy project at Morlais, the UK’s largest consented tidal energy scheme.
Richard Parkinson, CEO of Inyanga Marine Energy Group, the parent company of HydroWing, says: “Our vision is to become the world leader in tidal array technology. Our project at Morlais will be a key step on this journey and opening the new office in Wales is an important milestone for us.”
The new office is based at M-SParc, a science park on Anglesey, owned by Bangor University. The office will be led by Commercial Manager Osian Roberts, who was born and raised on Anglesey and has considerable international experience in the offshore renewable energy sector. He will lead a team to be based at M-SParc, creating significant new employment in the region.
Richard Parkinson adds: “Commercialisation of tidal stream energy has so far been held back by high operations and maintenance costs. Our HydroWing technology meets that challenge head on. It will help unlock the commercial viability of tidal stream energy around the world, offering a low cost, reliable source of renewable energy for generations to come.”
HydroWing technology is based on a unique patented modular design that dramatically improves the cost-efficiency and production of tidal stream energy.
Simon Cheeseman, Sector Lead on Wave and Tidal Energy at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, says: “Tidal energy is a crucial part of the mix to achieve net zero targets globally. The team at Inyanga Marine Energy Group has unrivalled experience in the sector, having deployed more than half of all tidal stream energy devices worldwide. So it is great to see their immense knowledge and experience informing the design and deployment strategy for HydroWing, a technology that is helping deliver sector innovation.”
The HydroWing project at Morlais will be deployed in 2027.
ENDS For more information, contact Lynn File. [email protected]
NOTES FOR EDITORS
About Inyanga Marine Energy Group
Inyanga Marine Energy Group is an innovative company which is developing cutting edge solutions for the global offshore renewables industry. Inyanga Marine Energy Group operate a highly experienced and specialised team of offshore engineers from their head office at Jubilee Wharf near Falmouth, UK and their office at Rennes in France.
Inyanga Marine Energy Group has two divisions – HydroWing, which focuses on tidal energy technology development, and Inyanga Maritime, which delivers offshore engineering and installation.
The company aims to advance through to deployment the innovative tidal energy converter, the HydroWing, to provide cost-effective, reliable and predictable power to communities around the globe.
HydroWing has been awarded a contract for a 10MW tidal stream energy project in Wales and was the largest tidal stream project in Wales to be successful in the UK government’s latest ‘Contracts for Difference,’ Allocation Round 5.
The project will be located at the Morlais tidal energy site in Anglesey, For more information, visit www.inyangamarine.com
About HydroWing technology
HydroWing is designed to be a cost-effective and scalable solution to tidal stream energy generation. A supporting structure sits on the seabed, under its own weight. The ‘wings’ which hold the turbines are then lowered into position on this structure. This makes HydroWing very straightforward to deploy. The turbines are bi-directional, so they generate power as the tide comes in and as it goes out. These turbines are also cost-effective to produce at scale. For more information, visit www.hydrowing.tech
About M-SParc
Located in Anglesey, M-SParc (Menai Science Park) is owned by Bangor University and operates as an arms-length company. It opened in 2018, and is Wales’ first dedicated science park. It offers 31,200 sq ft of lettable space configured as 45 office spaces ranging in size from 156 sq ft to 2,690 sq ft, 23 laboratories and two double-height workshops.
M-SParc was established to drive innovation forward and provide economic growth. M-SParc aims to drive growth in knowledge-based science, with a focus on low carbon energy, the environment and ICT sectors. For more information, visit: https://m-sparc.com/science-park/
About Morlais Tidal Energy Site
The Morlais site is the UK’s largest consented tidal energy scheme, managed by the social enterprise Menter Môn. Menter Môn manages an area of 35 km2 of the seabed near Holy Island, Anglesey. The scheme has the potential to generate up to 240MW of low carbon clean electricity. The aim is to play a role in tackling climate change while delivering economic and social benefit to local communities and the wider region.
The project and the way in which it will operate is unique, and the only one of its kind in the world. Morlais provides the necessary infrastructure in the zone, including a connection to the national grid and a substation on the shore. It rents berths to various turbine development companies so they can use tidal energy to generate electricity. This may mean different types of electricity generation technology will be installed at sea as part of Morlais. For more details visit: https://www.morlaisenergy.com/en/about-us/the-morlais-story
About the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult
ORE Catapult is the UK’s leading innovation centre for offshore renewable energy. It was established in 2013 by the UK Government and is part of a network of Catapults set up by Innovate UK in high growth industries.
Independent and trusted, with a unique combination of world-leading test and demonstration facilities and engineering and research expertise, ORE Catapult convenes the sector and delivers applied research, accelerating technology development, reducing risk and cost, and enhancing UK-wide economic growth.
ORE Catapult has operations in Glasgow, Blyth, Levenmouth, Aberdeen, the Humber, the East of England, the South West, and Pembroke and Anglesey in Wales. Full details can be seen at: www.ore.catapult.org.uk
