Perpetuus go-ahead
The Marine Management Organisation has issued a license to operate the Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre (PTEC), a state of the art tidal energy generation project located in the strong tidal race off St Catherine’s Point, off the southern tip of the UK’s Isle of Wight.
PTEC hopes to be fully operational within the next three years and will provide safe, clean reliable energy, enough to power 15,000 homes. This project is instrumental in accelerating the growth of the tidal industry, which will help the UK meet its long term security needs and low carbon targets. PTEC will also bring jobs and inward investment to the region, as well as establish the Solent area as a centre of excellence in tidal energy.
New Chairman, Rob Stevens, has a wealth of experience in the maritime sector and is well respected in the Solent area.
In 2012, he became Chair of the Solent Maritime Forum, and created the Transforming Solent Marine and Maritime supplement in March 2014, which focused on improving growth in the region. Rob’s vast experience in maritime matters then led him to establish a consultancy, Stevens Marine Ltd, in 2013.
He was previously CEO of the British Marine Federation, and had overall responsibility for the world famous London and Southampton Boat Shows. Rob also served in the Royal Navy for more than 30 years, reaching the rank of Rear Admiral and Head of the British Submarine Service, as part of a career that saw him specialising in submarines and navigation. He later became Chief of Staff in Naples, responsible for NATO Maritime Operations in the Mediterranean between 2001 and 2005.
Royal HaskoningDHV was appointed to lead PTEC’s consenting works, including the environmental impact assessment (EIA), due to the company’s track-record of successful EIAs and reputation for gaining consents for projects in the marine environment. During this contract, Royal HaskoningDHV worked closely with IT Power who delivered the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) for PTEC’s core infrastructure.
Royal HaskoningDHV’s Technical Director Frank Fortune said: “Royal HaskoningDHV has consented over 90MW of commercial wave and tidal projects across the UK since 2004, with PTEC the latest success story. The UK is well placed to lead the way in tidal stream energy and PTEC is placed to be a major catalyst in driving the potential of the entire marine renewables industry. We are delighted to have played a leading role in this internationally significant project. This announcement today further cements Royal HaskoningDHV’s reputation as the leading consultancy for ocean energy projects.”
“Our priority now is to finalise the commercial and technical elements of the project. We’re in a good position. Our senior team has an industry-leading understanding and experience of tidal stream energy and project implementation, as well as a strong track record in successful commercial ventures.”
By Jake Frith
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