Abstract
Wave energy remains an under-utilised part of the UK’s renewable portfolio, it sits in a ‘valley of death’, caught between promising innovation and large-scale commercial roll-out. The challenge is finding the right route to market. Today, it’s too costly to compete through schemes like Contracts for Difference (CfD), but new options, such as co-location with offshore wind and hydrogen offtake mechanisms, could unlock its full potential.
The south-west approaches of Wales and the Celtic Sea enjoy one of the strongest and most accessible wave climates in England and Wales. When combined with short distances from Milford Haven, established infrastructure, and the proposed development site’s existing lease, Pembrokeshire offers a uniquely low-friction environment for proving commercial-scale concepts.
The report explores combining up to nine floating wind turbines that each have an integrated electrolyser (that produces green hydrogen) and wave energy devices to lower the cost of wave energy through the sharing of infrastructure. The proposed development is located inside the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone (PDZ), a 90 km2 Crown Estate lease positioned ~15km south-west of Milford Haven.