Harnessing sea power in Wales
THE UK’s first wave power station may generate over 1000 jobs as well as producing renewable energy off the waters of Milford Haven. KP Renewables and Wave Dragon are behind this multi-million pound pioneering project and hope to eventually install 12 x 7mW Wave Dragon units ten miles offshore.
A spokesman for KP Renewables said: "The project has the potential to generate Welsh jobs in a wide range of industries such as maritime service, engineering and construction. We anticipate that the construction phase could create up to 1000 jobs and around 20 permanent operational jobs." Welsh Assembly minister for economic development, Andrew Davies, said: "Wales has a significant marine energy resource and the Wave Dragon project has the potential to harness that power to provide clean, renewable energy."
The first stage of this project will involve the deployment of one Wave Dragon unit and is due to be completed in spring 2007. This stage will cost around £12 million and the unit is expected to produce enough electricity to power 6000 houses.If the first unit proves successful, the second stage will feature a further 11 units being deployed in deeper waters by 2009 with the capacity to supply power to 60,000 houses.
