Press Release: Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018
Following publication of the ORE Catapult's report 'TIDAL STREAM AND WAVE ENERGY
COST REDUCTION AND INDUSTRIAL BENEFIT' which concludes that, based upon a new evidence-based assessment, the UK’s marine energy industries can meet the requirements of the UK Government’s ‘Triple Test’, Kepler Energy issued the following Press Release:
Kepler Energy, which wishes to deploy a 600MW tidal fence in the Bristol Channel, has today welcomed the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s new evidence-based assessment that shows the UK’s marine energy industries can meet the requirements of the UK Government’s ‘Triple Test’. Peter Dixon, Kepler Energy’s Executive Chairman said: “Kepler Energy welcomes and supports the ORE Catapult report and its conclusions. The good news is that the ORE Catapult may substantially under-estimate the total potential of tidal energy in UK waters, since it appears not to include the lower velocity/shallower tidal waters where other tidal technologies, such as our tidal fence, can be deployed,
“Our tidal energy technology, akin to a water mill and which will use the very latest carbon composite technology, has a lower cost of energy that many other marine energy technologies. In addition, construction of our first tidal fence in the Bristol Channel will require several thousand tonnes per year of carbon fibre for a number of years which will catalyse the UK composites industry, supporting BEIS’s Industrial and Clean Growth Strategies.”
Following publication of the ORE Catapult's report 'TIDAL STREAM AND WAVE ENERGY
COST REDUCTION AND INDUSTRIAL BENEFIT' which concludes that, based upon a new evidence-based assessment, the UK’s marine energy industries can meet the requirements of the UK Government’s ‘Triple Test’, Kepler Energy issued the following Press Release:
Kepler Energy, which wishes to deploy a 600MW tidal fence in the Bristol Channel, has today welcomed the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s new evidence-based assessment that shows the UK’s marine energy industries can meet the requirements of the UK Government’s ‘Triple Test’. Peter Dixon, Kepler Energy’s Executive Chairman said: “Kepler Energy welcomes and supports the ORE Catapult report and its conclusions. The good news is that the ORE Catapult may substantially under-estimate the total potential of tidal energy in UK waters, since it appears not to include the lower velocity/shallower tidal waters where other tidal technologies, such as our tidal fence, can be deployed,
“Our tidal energy technology, akin to a water mill and which will use the very latest carbon composite technology, has a lower cost of energy that many other marine energy technologies. In addition, construction of our first tidal fence in the Bristol Channel will require several thousand tonnes per year of carbon fibre for a number of years which will catalyse the UK composites industry, supporting BEIS’s Industrial and Clean Growth Strategies.”
Thursday October 27th, 2016
The Morlais Demo Zone attracts global developers to Anglesey
Read the statement by the Morlais team here.
Peter Dixon, Executive Chairman, commented: “Securing a berth at Morlais is very important to Kepler Energy, since the site’s combination of tidal velocity and sea depth enables us to undertake realistic demonstration of our tidal fence technology and help us as we move forward with our development plans. As our tidal fence technology can operate in lower speed tidal waters, there is more opportunity for it to be deployed in UK and overseas waters. This would require a major increase in carbon composite manufacturing, ideally in Wales. We are already talking to the Welsh Government about the development of a carbon structures industry cluster in Wales that will manufacture our carbon composite tidal turbine structures. Testing at Morlais is an important step in our pathway towards commercial deployment.”
Kepler Energy - Press Release
Wednesday February 10th, 2016
DECC TIDAL LAGOON REVIEW: KEPLER ENERGY STATEMENT
Commenting on today’s announcement from DECC that it will undertake an independent review of tidal lagoons, Kepler Energy’s Peter Dixon (Executive Chairman) said: “The opportunity that tidal stream energy offers the UK must not be overshadowed by the hiatus surrounding Tidal Lagoons and Swansea Bay.
Kepler Energy is working hard to bring forward plans for a tidal energy fence that will be located in the Bristol Channel, and we have shared our outline plans with a range of stakeholders including the Department of Energy & Climate Change, the Welsh Government, The Crown Estate and The Treasury.
Our tidal energy technology will use the very latest carbon composite technology, and can be deployed in shallower, lower velocity tidal waters around the UK coastline and also in overseas waters, in countries such as China, Korea, Japan and India. Subject to planning and financing, the Bristol Channel tidal fence, which is likely to be located in the Aberthaw to Minehead stretch of water, could be operational by 2025.”
Kepler Energy’s technology is regarded as environmentally benign, and would be subject to a rigorous environmental impact assessment during the planning process to ensure that it carries no significant risk to marine life and other users of the sea.
Commenting on the economic benefit of the project, Peter Dixon (Executive Chairman of Kepler Energy) said: “Our Bristol Channel tidal fence has the potential to mobilise the carbon composite industry in the UK, as well as to create new and skilled jobs in Wales and the West Country.
“The opportunity that tidal stream energy offers the UK is very significant. Our tidal stream technology at scale can quickly be cost competitive with nuclear generation and offshore wind, and can be deployed quickly and extensively in UK and overseas waters.”
END
For further information
Kepler Energy (www.keplerenergy.co.uk)
Peter Dixon, Chairman: +44 (0)7808 739266 / peterdixon@keplerenergy.co.uk
Paul Taylor (Taylor Keogh Communications): +44 (0)20 3170 8465 / paul@taylorkeogh.comTuesday, 23rd June 2015
BRISTOL CHANNEL BECKONS FOR TIDAL ENERGY SCHEME
DESIGNED BY OXFORD UNIVERSITY SPIN OUT
Kepler Energy is bringing forward plans for a 30MW tidal energy fence that will be located in the Bristol Channel. The tidal energy technology, akin to a water mill and which will use the very latest carbon composite technology, has been developed by Oxford University’s Department of Engineering Science for deployment in shallower, lower velocity tidal waters around the UK coastline but also in overseas waters. Subject to planning and financing, the initial Bristol Channel 1km £143m tidal fence, which is likely to be located in the Aberthaw to Minehead stretch of water, could be operational by 2020/21.
Kepler Energy, which holds the exclusive global licence for the technology, is embarking on a funding round to take forward the project through the development phase and the planning process. Whilst the technology is regarded as environmentally benign, it will be subject to a rigorous environmental impact assessment during the planning process to ensure that it bears no significant risk to marine life and other users of the sea.
Since its establishment in 2010, Kepler Energy has received assistance from Altran, Gurit, Mojo Maritime, GE, Royal Haskoning and other companies to develop its technology and explore sites where its tidal turbine technology could be deployed. Given its tidal flows and proximity to electrical infrastructure, Kepler considers the Bristol Channel to be an ideal location for its first scheme. The first phase of the tidal fence scheme will be up to a 1 kilometre long. Kepler believes that its tidal fences in the future could be 10km or longer.
Kepler has shared its outline plans with a range of stakeholders including the Department of Energy & Climate Change, the Welsh Government, The Crown Estate and Bristol City Council. It will embark on a wider stakeholder consultation programme later this year.
Kepler’s patented turbine technology consists of a stressed truss configuration Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine (THAWT). The Kepler turbine offers significant technological advantages over traditional axial turbines, enabling it to generate predictable, renewable electricity at very competitive costs in lower velocity and shallower waters, which axial flow turbines cannot replicate.
The simplicity of the patented truss design ensures the minimum of moving parts exposed to the tidal flow, whilst electrical equipment and controls are housed in dry columns. The rotor installation methodology requires no high cost specialist vessels, and can use much longer ‘weather widows’ than axial turbines operating in harsh weather and wave locations.
Peter Dixon, Chairman of Kepler Energy said: “As our tidal technology can operate in lower velocity tidal waters, there is greater scope for its deployment in the UK and overseas. It means that we can achieve greater economies of scale as our projects are deployed.
“We can happily co-exist with tidal lagoons, and the power peaks will occur at different stages of the tide, meaning that the combined output into the Grid will be more easily manageable. In addition, our levelised costs of production will be in the range £100 to £130 per MWh for utility scale production, so costs will be cheaper than lagoons and in time we will be cheaper than offshore wind generation. Furthermore, investment risk is manageable since turbines are added incrementally to form the fence, with each one generating revenue as it is added.”
Commenting on the economic benefit of the project, Peter added: “Our Bristol Channel tidal fence, likely to be located in the Aberthaw/Minehead area, has the potential to mobilise the carbon fibre industry in the UK as well as create new and skilled jobs in Wales and the West Country. For example, for a 400MW fence, we will need as much as 15,000 tonnes of carbon fibre, which will deliver a huge boost to the industry. In summary, tidal fences offer a very practical and cost-effective source of utility scale renewable energy.”
END
For further information (and images)
Kepler Energy (www.keplerenergy.co.uk)
Peter Dixon, Chairman: +44 (0)7808 739266 / peterdixon@keplerenergy.co.uk
Paul Taylor (Taylor Keogh Communications): +44 (0)20 3170 8465 / paul@taylorkeogh.com
Notes to Editors
Videos of the Kepler turbine in laboratory testing (note that the full size turbines/rotors will rotate at around 11RPM) can be viewed via http://www.keplerenergy.co.uk/videos.html.
The basic generating unit comprises two rotors with a central generator, with only four supporting bearings and three foundation supports required. The structure is novel (and patented), the carbon fibre blades themselves being configured so that the rotor needs no supporting structure such as a central shaft. This leads to greater power efficiency and simpler, cheaper construction.
The turbine has been optimised to open up resources in shallower, low tidal stream velocity flows (below ~2.5 m/s), the most commonly found current strength in coastal waters across the globe.
Deployment of the tidal fence will be subject to detailed environment and technical assessments to ensure that it safely co-exists with marine life and other users of the sea. It is environmentally benign, with a rotation speed of the Kepler turbine being c11 RPM. The fence area, located in shallow waters, would be cordoned off from marine traffic in order to avoid accidental damage.
The Morlais Demo Zone attracts global developers to Anglesey
Read the statement by the Morlais team here.
Peter Dixon, Executive Chairman, commented: “Securing a berth at Morlais is very important to Kepler Energy, since the site’s combination of tidal velocity and sea depth enables us to undertake realistic demonstration of our tidal fence technology and help us as we move forward with our development plans. As our tidal fence technology can operate in lower speed tidal waters, there is more opportunity for it to be deployed in UK and overseas waters. This would require a major increase in carbon composite manufacturing, ideally in Wales. We are already talking to the Welsh Government about the development of a carbon structures industry cluster in Wales that will manufacture our carbon composite tidal turbine structures. Testing at Morlais is an important step in our pathway towards commercial deployment.”
Kepler Energy - Press Release
Wednesday February 10th, 2016
DECC TIDAL LAGOON REVIEW: KEPLER ENERGY STATEMENT
Commenting on today’s announcement from DECC that it will undertake an independent review of tidal lagoons, Kepler Energy’s Peter Dixon (Executive Chairman) said: “The opportunity that tidal stream energy offers the UK must not be overshadowed by the hiatus surrounding Tidal Lagoons and Swansea Bay.
Kepler Energy is working hard to bring forward plans for a tidal energy fence that will be located in the Bristol Channel, and we have shared our outline plans with a range of stakeholders including the Department of Energy & Climate Change, the Welsh Government, The Crown Estate and The Treasury.
Our tidal energy technology will use the very latest carbon composite technology, and can be deployed in shallower, lower velocity tidal waters around the UK coastline and also in overseas waters, in countries such as China, Korea, Japan and India. Subject to planning and financing, the Bristol Channel tidal fence, which is likely to be located in the Aberthaw to Minehead stretch of water, could be operational by 2025.”
Kepler Energy’s technology is regarded as environmentally benign, and would be subject to a rigorous environmental impact assessment during the planning process to ensure that it carries no significant risk to marine life and other users of the sea.
Commenting on the economic benefit of the project, Peter Dixon (Executive Chairman of Kepler Energy) said: “Our Bristol Channel tidal fence has the potential to mobilise the carbon composite industry in the UK, as well as to create new and skilled jobs in Wales and the West Country.
“The opportunity that tidal stream energy offers the UK is very significant. Our tidal stream technology at scale can quickly be cost competitive with nuclear generation and offshore wind, and can be deployed quickly and extensively in UK and overseas waters.”
END
For further information
Kepler Energy (www.keplerenergy.co.uk)
Peter Dixon, Chairman: +44 (0)7808 739266 / peterdixon@keplerenergy.co.uk
Paul Taylor (Taylor Keogh Communications): +44 (0)20 3170 8465 / paul@taylorkeogh.comTuesday, 23rd June 2015
BRISTOL CHANNEL BECKONS FOR TIDAL ENERGY SCHEME
DESIGNED BY OXFORD UNIVERSITY SPIN OUT
Kepler Energy is bringing forward plans for a 30MW tidal energy fence that will be located in the Bristol Channel. The tidal energy technology, akin to a water mill and which will use the very latest carbon composite technology, has been developed by Oxford University’s Department of Engineering Science for deployment in shallower, lower velocity tidal waters around the UK coastline but also in overseas waters. Subject to planning and financing, the initial Bristol Channel 1km £143m tidal fence, which is likely to be located in the Aberthaw to Minehead stretch of water, could be operational by 2020/21.
Kepler Energy, which holds the exclusive global licence for the technology, is embarking on a funding round to take forward the project through the development phase and the planning process. Whilst the technology is regarded as environmentally benign, it will be subject to a rigorous environmental impact assessment during the planning process to ensure that it bears no significant risk to marine life and other users of the sea.
Since its establishment in 2010, Kepler Energy has received assistance from Altran, Gurit, Mojo Maritime, GE, Royal Haskoning and other companies to develop its technology and explore sites where its tidal turbine technology could be deployed. Given its tidal flows and proximity to electrical infrastructure, Kepler considers the Bristol Channel to be an ideal location for its first scheme. The first phase of the tidal fence scheme will be up to a 1 kilometre long. Kepler believes that its tidal fences in the future could be 10km or longer.
Kepler has shared its outline plans with a range of stakeholders including the Department of Energy & Climate Change, the Welsh Government, The Crown Estate and Bristol City Council. It will embark on a wider stakeholder consultation programme later this year.
Kepler’s patented turbine technology consists of a stressed truss configuration Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine (THAWT). The Kepler turbine offers significant technological advantages over traditional axial turbines, enabling it to generate predictable, renewable electricity at very competitive costs in lower velocity and shallower waters, which axial flow turbines cannot replicate.
The simplicity of the patented truss design ensures the minimum of moving parts exposed to the tidal flow, whilst electrical equipment and controls are housed in dry columns. The rotor installation methodology requires no high cost specialist vessels, and can use much longer ‘weather widows’ than axial turbines operating in harsh weather and wave locations.
Peter Dixon, Chairman of Kepler Energy said: “As our tidal technology can operate in lower velocity tidal waters, there is greater scope for its deployment in the UK and overseas. It means that we can achieve greater economies of scale as our projects are deployed.
“We can happily co-exist with tidal lagoons, and the power peaks will occur at different stages of the tide, meaning that the combined output into the Grid will be more easily manageable. In addition, our levelised costs of production will be in the range £100 to £130 per MWh for utility scale production, so costs will be cheaper than lagoons and in time we will be cheaper than offshore wind generation. Furthermore, investment risk is manageable since turbines are added incrementally to form the fence, with each one generating revenue as it is added.”
Commenting on the economic benefit of the project, Peter added: “Our Bristol Channel tidal fence, likely to be located in the Aberthaw/Minehead area, has the potential to mobilise the carbon fibre industry in the UK as well as create new and skilled jobs in Wales and the West Country. For example, for a 400MW fence, we will need as much as 15,000 tonnes of carbon fibre, which will deliver a huge boost to the industry. In summary, tidal fences offer a very practical and cost-effective source of utility scale renewable energy.”
END
For further information (and images)
Kepler Energy (www.keplerenergy.co.uk)
Peter Dixon, Chairman: +44 (0)7808 739266 / peterdixon@keplerenergy.co.uk
Paul Taylor (Taylor Keogh Communications): +44 (0)20 3170 8465 / paul@taylorkeogh.com
Notes to Editors
Videos of the Kepler turbine in laboratory testing (note that the full size turbines/rotors will rotate at around 11RPM) can be viewed via http://www.keplerenergy.co.uk/videos.html.
The basic generating unit comprises two rotors with a central generator, with only four supporting bearings and three foundation supports required. The structure is novel (and patented), the carbon fibre blades themselves being configured so that the rotor needs no supporting structure such as a central shaft. This leads to greater power efficiency and simpler, cheaper construction.
The turbine has been optimised to open up resources in shallower, low tidal stream velocity flows (below ~2.5 m/s), the most commonly found current strength in coastal waters across the globe.
Deployment of the tidal fence will be subject to detailed environment and technical assessments to ensure that it safely co-exists with marine life and other users of the sea. It is environmentally benign, with a rotation speed of the Kepler turbine being c11 RPM. The fence area, located in shallow waters, would be cordoned off from marine traffic in order to avoid accidental damage.