Inyanga Marine Energy Group and Verdant Morlais Ltd (VML) have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deliver a 4.9 MW tidal stream energy project at Morlais in Wales.
The project will be located near the 10 MW project awarded to Inyanga in the UK Government’s contracts for difference (CfD) allocation round 5 in September 2023, using Inyanga’s patented HydroWing tidal stream technology.
VML was also awarded a 4.9 MW tidal project at Morlais in allocation round 5. VML is a joint venture (JV) between Verdant Power (New York, USA) and Duggan Brothers Contractors (Ireland), which are set up to develop tidal energy projects in Ireland and the UK.
“Verdant Morlais is delighted to announce this new partnership with Inyanga Marine Energy Group. Connected to the national grid and with all necessary infrastructure provided, the Morlais demonstration site is unique worldwide and it represents a significant opportunity for the tidal energy industry in general. We are looking forward to deploying the first 4.9MW phase of our commercial project at Morlais, with buildout of an additional 25MW to follow,” said Joe Klein , VML Board Director.
Inyanga Marine Energy Group will provide a full engineering, procurement, construction, and installation solution to VML for the 4.9 MW project and a long-term operations and maintenance contract.
“This new partnership allows us to explore economies of scale and creates a clear commercial path for our project. Collaboration unlocks exciting new opportunities for innovation and cost reduction, potentially accelerating development of the tidal energy industry,” said Richard Parkinson , CEO of Inyanga Marine Energy Group.
Andy Billcliff , Chief Executive of Menter Môn Morlais, which manages the Morlais tidal energy site, said: “By combining forces and unleashing economies of scale as well as the power of collaborative thinking, we expect to see an impact on the overall success of the Morlais project, helping to establish the commercial viability of tidal energy as a clean renewable energy.”
In January 2024, Inyanga Marine Energy Group opened a new office in Wales to support the development of the 10 MW HydroWing tidal stream energy project at Morlais. The Morlais HydroWing project is scheduled for deployment in 2027.