Wave Farm Moves Closer

Plans to construct a 'Wave Farm' and 'Wave Hub' off the coast of Hayle moved a step closer this week as a planning application was submitted following an 18 moth study, consultation exercise and a public exhibition in the town.

The proposal, supported by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWERDA)  involves building a grid of wave to energy converters, (the Wave Farm) of various design which would sit on or just below the surface of the sea some 10 miles from the shore. These would be linked to an undersea 'Wave Hub' which will collect the power produced and bring it by sub-sea cable to the shore. The hub itself would be on the seabed in 50m or so of water. The old Power Station site at Hayle would be used as the point at which to feed the power produced into the National Grid.

While the underwater equipment is known technology and has been proven in the oil and gas industry, the plan is to use varoius experimental designs of wave to power converters in order to develop and improve on current technology. Even though partly experimental in nature it is envisaged that enough electricity could be generated by the wave farm to power more than 14,000 homes.

The recent application follows in the wake of an 18 month study, consultation period and public exhibitions during which a number of issues have arisen. Of great concern has been the impact of the wave hub proposal on the environment and the effect it may have on fishing and tourism.

Studies have indicated that the area where the wave hub is to be sited is not a valuable commercial fishing area and has no significant environmental importance. The visual impact f the wave farm from the shore will also be minimised by the distance form shore and semi-submerged nature of the wave power arrays.

Some fishermen have expressed concerns however, as they will not only be excluded from the vicinity of the wave farm itself, but also from significant areas of St Ives Bay by the presence of the sea to shore high voltage cables.

Some surfing organisations have also expressed concern as studies show that the wave hub could produce a 'wave shadow' and reduce surf by up to 14% along a the coast from Gwithian to Newquay. It have been claimed that this could reduce the number of surfable days or even make some parts of the coast totally unsurfable with knock on effects to the multi-million pound surfing and tourist industry. There have also been concerns expressed  that the impact of the wave farm could have a significant unknown effects on the coastal processes within St Ives Bay and coastal erosion, beaches and sediment movement could all be affected.

However, the major surfing organisations including Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and the English Surfing Federation have given the scheme a cautious 'thumbs up'  saying that a reduction of less than 5% affecting only a small stretch of coast was more likely. The also have sad this minor loss would be more than balanced by the potential environmental benefits of clean, sustainable energy.

There is support for the wave hub from Truro and St Austell MP Matthew Taylor, but the views of St Ives and Hayle MP Andrew George are as yet unknown.

A decision on the application is expected by the January 2007. The cost of the scheme has been put at between £14-18m.

What do you think? - have your say in our discussion forum