Siemens Boosts Its Stake in Tidal Power

The technical fight like the predictability of Marine Power to be "calculated centuries in advance."

Marine energy has long been considered a niche area, capable of only a few percent of global energy needs. But this seemingly limited energy source is currently a large number of players, the latest Siemens. The German engineering giant expands its stake this month in Bristol, England-based Marine Current Turbines tidal developer of less than 10 percent to 45 percent. The attraction, according to Michael Axmann, Chief Financial Officer of Siemens solar and hydro power business, the predictability of Marine Power.

Solar and wind farms fight to predict future production, and poor forecasting can wreak havoc in power transmission systems planning and market prices. In contrast, features of the moon and sun, which controls the tidal cycles a sure way to anticipate the result of tidal power plants. "Power output of the systems can be calculated in centuries before," said Axmann.

The result may be higher yields. Axmann notes that tidal energy is "not subject to volatility. This increases the value of the energy produced, thereby making the business case for reliable investor and operator."

Axmann declined to say how much value would be added at this predictability. But he expects that in 2020, marine turbines to deliver power at a price that is competitive with existing wind farms in spite of the challenges involved in engineering for underground work.

Marine Current Turbines CEO Andrew Tyler says that a combination of savings and government incentives will ensure the profitability of his company's tidal energy farms. He expects a return on investment in the company's first two offshore farms: a proposal for four turbine off Scottish Isle of Skye and a five-turbine array in the northwest coast of Wales.

Cost savings will be partly a result of scaling its dual-rotor units to two megawatts to 1.2 megawatts generated by the demonstration turbine power in Northern Ireland's Strangford Lough produced since 2008. Future savings, Tyler says, comes mainly from efficiency in the collection of equipment and logistics, based on Siemens' expertise in this area.

The company also expects incentives in the form of the British and Scottish system of subsidies. The tidal farms will also be the company with sustainable generation credits that utilities must acquire to meet the renewable energy standard in the United Kingdom. Last month, informed the United Kingdom plans to funding for wave and tidal energy boost plants 2-5 per megawatt-hour of electricity. In comparison to offshore wind farms earn two points, and the burning of biomass power plants will earn one.

Tyler estimates that the first power parks will be 15,000 to 20,000 megawatt-hours per year to produce, which means that the tidal turbine arrays per year £ 3,750,000 ($ 6,000,000) earn incentives.

0 comments:

Copyright © 2012 Fast Technology.