Initial Wave Hub Tests 'very promising'

Initial results of the tests which have been taking place off the coast at Hayle have confirmed that the site has huge potential for the production of electricity from  wave power.

Halcrow, Regen SW and the South West Regional Development Agency have been involved in  the tests that began earlier this year have reported the preliminary results as 'promising' with swells of up to 10m recorded from test equipment which has been sited in St Ives Bay. It is stressed that tests are ongoing and it will take some time yet before the data can be fully analysed - perhaps up to 18 months.

Given a favourable outcome of the tests it is hoped that the bay could become the site of the worlds first 'Wave Farm' This would consist of a number of wave powered generators feeding power into a central 'Wave Hub' on the seabed and connected to the national grid via underwater cables which would probably be brought ashore at the old power station site at Hayle.

SWRDA has invested £500,000 in a series of detailed feasibility studies about the wave hub which will be published later this year. They are expected to show that the project could be up and running by 2007, subject to funding and consents approval from the DTI and others. 

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