Inyanga Marine Energy Group and Verdant Morlais Ltd (VML) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a 4.9MW tidal stream energy project at Morlais in Wales. This project is part of the largest consented tidal energy scheme in Europe.
The new project will be located near Inyanga’s 10MW project, which was awarded through the UK Government’s ‘Contracts for Difference’ Allocation Round 5 in September 2023. Inyanga will use its patented HydroWing tidal stream technology for this initiative.
VML, a joint venture between Verdant Power, Inc. and Duggan Brothers Contractors Ltd, also secured a 4.9MW tidal project at Morlais in the same allocation round.
Joe Klein, VML Board Director, commented: “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.”
Inyanga Marine Energy Group will provide a full Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation solution for VML’s 4.9MW project, along with a long-term Operations and Maintenance contract.
Richard Parkinson, CEO of Inyanga Marine Energy Group, said: “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.”
Andy Billcliff, Chief Executive of Menter Môn Morlais Limited, which manages the Morlais tidal energy site, added: “We are thrilled to see this innovative partnership between two of the tidal energy companies awarded projects in the latest ‘Contracts for Difference’ round. 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.”
