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Morlais is a grid connected tidal stream energy project located in the Irish Sea just off the west coast of Holy Island, Anglesey, Wales. It is being developed by the social enterprise agency Menter Môn. The site has the potential for up to 240 MW of renewable energy to be harnessed from the tides, using a mixture of seabed mounted and floating tidal energy devices from different companies.

The 35 km (14 sq mi) site was designated for tidal energy by The Crown Estate in 2010, as the West Anglesey Demonstration Zone, and has been leased for 45 years. Consent for the scheme was obtained in December 2021 from Natural Resources Wales. The scheme was awarded £31m from the European Regional Development Fund in March 2022, possibly the last significant project from this fund. Following this, construction started in 2022, with phased installation so that any environmental impacts could be understood.

The first devices to harvest power from the tides are expected to be installed in 2026. Before then, preparatory works including the grid connection are being constructed. Mark Drakeford officially opened the onshore substation in October 2023, noting that "Morlais is a groundbreaking project and a key part of our transition to a low carbon economy".

RSPB Cymru expressed concerns about the scheme's potential impacts on wildlife, including guillemots and razorbills. An environmental impact assessment was completed, with detailed independent studies on various aspects of the project construction, operation, and decommissioning. Environmental surveys are still ongoing, with a monitoring buoy equipped with cameras and other sensors deployed in July 2023, as part of the Marine Characterisation Research Project.

Site description and environmental conditions

The project, as set out in the Environmental Statement will comprise the following elements:

• Navigation and environmental monitoring equipment
• Tidal devices with associated moorings and foundations
• Array cables and other offshore electrical infrastructure
• Up to nine export cables with associated cable landfall
• Onshore landfall substation at Ty-Mawr
• Switchgear building at Parc Cybi
• Grid connection substation at Orthios Eco-Park, southeast of Holyhead, where it connects to the 132 kV National Grid.
• Cable corridor between the landfall substation via the switchgear building to the grid connection substation.

The onshore grid connection work was completed by civil engineering firm Jones Bros in June 2023, three months ahead of schedule.

The tidal site covers an area of approximately 35 km, situated between approximately 0.5 km and 6 km offshore. The water depth across the site is around 40 m on average, reaching 72 m LAT to the northwest of the site. The site can be classified as an isolated/quiet environment, with a mixture of soft and hard bottom.

Modelling of the area around the site shows mean depth-averaged velocities of 1.7 m/s (3.3 knots) and peaks of 3.7 m/s (7.2 knots). Across most of the site, ebb and flood tides are misaligned by 0° to 15°, which may have a small impact on turbine performance.

In September 2024, the Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (EMMP) for the site was approved by Natural Resources Wales, discharging one of the planning conditions. The EMMP was developed by Menter Môn, together with environmental stakeholders, within the Marine Characterisation Research Project (MCRP). Environmental baseline data collected within the MCRP will be made available through the Crown Estate’s Marine Data Exchange platform.

Planned devices and developers

The site is split into multiple berths. Several developers have announced plans to deploy devices and have been awarded Contracts for Difference (CfD) in Allocation Rounds AR4, AR5 and AR6 to supply power to the GB grid at a guaranteed price, at a specified future delivery year.

Hydrowing

Hydrowing, part of Inyanga Marine Energy Group, plan to deploy an initial phase of around 10 MW, using the next-generation Tocardo T3 turbines, mounted on a multi-rotor frame that has a wing-like structure. The first phase is for 14 units each with two turbines rated at 340 kW, a total of 9.52 MW. Hydrowing Tidal Projects Ltd. was awarded a CfD for 10 MW in the CfD AR5 in September 2023, for delivery in 2027/28. Hydrowing was awarded a further 10 MW in the CfD AR6 in September 2024, also for delivery in 2027/28.

Magallanes Renovables

Spanish developer Magallanes Renovables secured CfDs in both AR4 and AR5, for 5.62 MW by 2025/26 and 3 MW by 2027/28 respectively. They plan to deploy their next-generation floating ATIR devices at berth GR3.

Môr Energy

The Welsh subsidiary of QED-Naval, was awarded a CfD for 4.5 MW by 2026/27 in the CfD AR5 in September 2023. They plan to deploy at berth GO3.

Verdant Isles

A joint venture between Verdant Power and Duggan Energy, Verdant Isles plan to deploy an initial phase one of 4.9 MW by 2027/28 at berth BL3. Verdant Isles was awarded a CfD for 4.9 MW in CfD AR5 in September 2023. The Verdant Power device is a three-bladed horizontal axis tidal turbine that sits on a triangular frame on the seabed, previously tested in New York’s East River.

In June 2024, Inyanga and Verdant Morlais announced they would collaborate in their projects at Morlais, to help unlock economies of scale and potentially reduce costs.

Other potential devices and developers

Several other developers have announced tentative plans to deploy at Morlais, however these have more uncertainty.

Nova Innovation and Sabella

Joint plans were announced in January 2022 by Edinburgh-based Nova Innovation and Quimper-based Sabella to each develop 6 MW of a 12 MW berth at Morlais. The first deployments were initially stated for 2023/24, but there have been no further announcements on this.

Orbital Marine Power

Orbital announced in 2018 that they planned to deploy their floating 2 MW Orbital O2 turbines at Morlais. However, there has been no news on this project since.

Minesto

Swedish tidal kite developer Minesto tested a 500 kW prototype in the Holyhead Deep, just to the west of Morlais in 2018 and 2019. They also had plans to develop an 80 MW array at this location, but withdrew from the project in March 2022 to focus on their projects in the Faroe Islands.

See also

• Renewable energy in Wales
• List of tidal power stations

References

1. "The Morlais story | Morlais". www.morlaisenergy.com. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
2. IEA-OES (2023). Annual Report: An Overview of Ocean Energy Activities in 2022 (Report). International Energy Agency.
3. Vogel, C. R.; Taira, D. T.; Carmo, B. S.; Assi, G. R. S.; Willden, R. H. J.; Meneghini, J. R. (1 November 2019). "Prospects for Tidal Stream Energy in the UK and South America: A Review of Challenges and Opportunities". Polytechnica. 2 (1): 97–109. Bibcode:2019Polyt...2...97V. doi:10.1007/s41050-019-00017-y. ISSN 2520-8063. S2CID 256464354.
4. "Morlais tidal project on Anglesey gets £31m EU funding". BBC News. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
5. Ungoed-Thomas, Jon (24 April 2022). "Could Anglesey's tidal energy project drive a new energy revolution?". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
6. "Energy site official opening | Morlais". www.morlaisenergy.com. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
7. "Official opening of Wales' first tidal stream energy site on Anglesey". North Wales Chronicle. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
8. "Power project could be 'devastating' for island seabirds". BBC News. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
9. ^ "Morlais Tidal Demonstration Zone | Tethys". tethys.pnnl.gov. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
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11. "Marine Characterisation Research Project". Menter Môn. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
12. ^ Menter Môn Morlais Limited (July 2019). Morlais ES Non-Technical Summary (PDF) (Report) – via PNNL Tethys.
13. "Jones Bros completes onshore works for Morlais". reNEWS.biz. 23 June 2023.
14. Piano, M.; Neill, S. P.; Lewis, M. J.; Robins, P. E.; Hashemi, M. R.; Davies, A. G.; Ward, S. L.; Roberts, M. J. (1 December 2017). "Tidal stream resource assessment uncertainty due to flow asymmetry and turbine yaw misalignment". Renewable Energy. 114: 1363–1375. Bibcode:2017REne..114.1363P. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2017.05.023. ISSN 0960-1481.
15. "Morlais environmental plan approved". reNEWS.biz. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
16. "Four tidal projects to deliver 41 MW in UK under CfD scheme". Renewablesnow.com. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
17. "CfD Success | Morlais". www.morlaisenergy.com. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
18. "Inyanga Marine Energy Group | Offshore Renewable Projects". Inyanga Marine. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
19. Jay (7 February 2022). "HydroWing To demonstrate Next generation Tocardo Turbines at Morlais Tidal Demo-Zone". Marine Energy Wales. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
20. Parkinson, Richard (25 October 2023). Tidal showcase – the path to pilot farms. Ocean Energy Europe, The Hauge.
21. ^ "Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 5: results". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
22. International, Power Engineering (15 November 2023). "HydroWing unveils plans for tidal energy project in Wales". Power Engineering International. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
23. "Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 6: results". GOV.UK. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
24. "Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 4: results". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
25. "Projects – QED Naval Limited". Retrieved 26 November 2023.
26. Smith, Glenn (25 October 2023). Tidal showcase – the path to pilot farms. Verdant Isles – Morlais Project. Ocean Energy Europe, The Hauge.
27. "A Milestone for Tidal Energy: Verdant Power Successfully Retrieves a Test Turbine After Six Months of Continuous Operation in New York". Energy.gov. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
28. "Tidal stream partners come together for 4.9MW Morlais project". The Engineer. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
29. "Nova and Sabella secure 12MW Welsh tidal site". reNEWS.biz. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
30. Husseini, Talal (5 December 2018). "Orbital Marine Power to demonstrate floating tidal technology at Morlais". Power Technology. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
31. "Minesto Holyhead Deep - Non-grid connected DG500". tethys.pnnl.gov. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
32. "Minesto flies Wales tidal kite". ReNEWS.biz. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
33. Hughes, Owen (18 March 2022). "'Supply chain delays' hit plan for new underwater power plants off Anglesey this year". Business Live. Retrieved 28 January 2024.

• Power stations in Wales
• Tidal power
• Tidal power in Wales