Important update on Nova’s Enlli tidal project
Nova has been producing these monthly updates for the past four years to share key information and progress on our Enlli Tidal Project.
We have made a lot of progress during this time but unfortunately, we have reached a point where we have to scale back our plans for the Enlli Tidal Project.
A number of factors have contributed to this decision:
Revenue Support – the UK government’s announcement in 2021 to provide support for tidal energy was a positive development, but the winning bids in the auction in 2022 were from large-scale tidal energy projects which have benefitted from grant-funded infrastructure support that is already in place. The much smaller Enlli Tidal Project cannot compete on cost with these large-scale projects. Unfortunately, the proposed Welsh Revenue Support mechanism that could have supported smaller projects such as Enlli was put on hold in 2022 due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Higher Cabling Costs – marine site investigations have identified the need to bury a considerable length of the subsea power cable in Aberdaron Bay to mitigate the risk of damage from penetrating anchors on the seabed. The costs of burying rather than surface-laying the subsea cable along Aberdaron Bay have added significant costs to the project.
Grid Connection – as the grid on the Llŷn would need to be reinforced to provide the full capacity, securing a grid connection for the full 500kW project capacity has not been possible. This is something that might happen in the future, potentially with Ofgem’s plans to build sustainable and affordable regional energy grids, or demand for private wires to local energy consumers become more viable.
This means that for the foreseeable future, we will not be applying for consents for a 0.5 MW tidal project in Bardsey Sound and we will be effectively mothballing the project.
While we are disappointed that decision has had to be made, we have collected a considerable quantity of invaluable information on the site, which will be summarised in a project environmental study. We will also be making data and reports available so that the site could potentially be developed at a future date.
We plan to conclude all the remaining work to collate the information, data and reports on the Enlli project by March 2023. Key information, evidence and reports Nova has gained over the past few years will all be available on the Crown Estate’s Marine Data Exchange.
As the cost of tidal energy comes down over the next few years and if the grid on the Llŷn is strengthened, we think a tidal project in Bardsey Sound/ Swnt Enlli could become viable. The energy created by the natural ebb and flow of the tides every day means that tidal energy has a key role in providing reliable, predictable, home-grown renewable energy.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters for your interest, advice and feedback on the Enlli project. Your knowledge and advice have been invaluable in helping us understand the site and develop our plans. It also taught us a lot about the importance of working with local communities and stakeholders for all our tidal projects.
Key YnNi Llŷn progress
Wil and colleagues at YnNi Llŷn continue to explore opportunities to support local decarbonisation and economic growth on the Llŷn. Wil can be contacted on 07500 894331 or wil@ynnillyn.cymru
Key remaining activity
For the next two months we will be focusing on concluding the remaining work to collate the information, data and reports on the Enlli project. We will provide further details in April on this information..
If you have any questions about the information above, please contact Nova on 0131 241 2000 info@novainnovation.com