Menter Môn Morlais has secured regulatory approval to deploy different types of tidal technology within the Morlais tidal energy scheme off the coast of Anglesey in Wales.
Natural Resources Wales has approved the company’s application to vary its existing marine license, allowing different types of tidal technology to be deployed within the Morlais zone.
The variation relates specifically to Tidal Technologies’ devices and supports the continued development of Morlais as a shared site for multiple tidal energy technologies, operating within a single licensed area.
“This is a positive decision for us and allows the Morlais scheme to continue moving forward, and to get tidal energy devices in the sea. It reflects the steady progress we are making at the site and supports the wider development of the tidal stream energy sector here in Wales,” said Andy Billcliff , Chief Executive Officer of Menter Môn Morlais Ltd.
Tidal Technologies is one of five developers to have secured capacity at the Welsh zone as part of the UK Government’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 7 (AR7) .
Morlais, described as one of the world’s largest consented tidal stream energy projects, will use the power of the tides off the coast of Ynys Môn to generate clean electricity. With a potential generating capacity of 240 MW, the first turbines are scheduled to be deployed in 2027.
“The marine licence variation is an exciting and significant step forward for our plans at Morlais. It enables the next phase of work to move ahead, opening the door to further innovation and bringing us closer to generating clean electricity off the coast of Ynys Môn,” said Jim Conybeare-Cross , one of the Founder Directors of Tidal Technologies.