Tidal stream power station under construction in Wales
This article is about the tidal power station. For the medieval bishop, see Morfyw. For the castle, see Morlais Castle.
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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 km2 (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.[1][2][3] 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.[4] Following this, construction started in 2022, with phased installation so that any environmental impacts could be understood.[5]
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,[6] noting that "Morlais is a groundbreaking project and a key part of our transition to a low carbon economy".[7]
RSPB Cymru expressed concerns about the scheme's potential impacts on wildlife, including guillemots and razorbills.[8] An environmental impact assessment was completed, with detailed independent studies on various aspects of the project construction, operation, and decommissioning.[9] Environmental surveys are still ongoing, with a monitoring buoy equipped with cameras and other sensors deployed in July 2023,[10] as part of the Marine Characterisation Research Project.[11]
^"The Morlais story | Morlais". www.morlaisenergy.com. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
^IEA-OES (2023). Annual Report: An Overview of Ocean Energy Activities in 2022 (Report). International Energy Agency.
^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. doi:10.1007/s41050-019-00017-y. ISSN 2520-8063. S2CID 256464354.
^"Morlais tidal project on Anglesey gets £31m EU funding". BBC News. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
^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.
^"Energy site official opening | Morlais". www.morlaisenergy.com. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
^"Official opening of Wales' first tidal stream energy site on Anglesey". North Wales Chronicle. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
^"Power project could be 'devastating' for island seabirds". BBC News. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
^"Morlais Tidal Demonstration Zone | Tethys". tethys.pnnl.gov. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
^"Morlais tidal energy: 'World-leading' buoy protects wildlife". BBC News. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
^"Marine Characterisation Research Project". Menter Môn. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
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...
Castles of Wales: Morlais Castle Old Merthyr Tydfil: Morlais Castle - Historical Photographs of Morlais Castle. Morlais Castle Golf Club Morlais Castle at Wales...
The Nant Morlais may refer to: Afon Morlais, a river running from Crosshands to the estuary of the River Loughor Nant Morlais, the tributary of the River...
The Afon Morlais is a small river in south Wales, a tributary of the River Loughor. It rises in the village of Cross Hands and then flows southwards through...
Carel Victor Morlais Weight, CH, CBE, RA (10 September 1908 – 13 August 1997) was an English painter. Weight was born in Paddington in 1908. His father...
change research centre. The project could start within 18 months. The Morlais tidal stream project, on the west coast of Anglesey, could deliver up to...
in February 2023, claiming it would support 5000 construction jobs. The Morlais tidal stream project is set to cover 35km2 of the Irish Sea on the west...
control of the land passed to and fro in the Welsh Marches. During this time Morlais Castle was built two miles north of the town. No permanent settlement was...
south through the centre of Merthyr Tydfil, where it is joined by the Nant Morlais which emerges at Abermorlais from a culvert in the east bank. Just south...
14 October 2014. "What is Morlais". Menter Môn. Retrieved 26 October 2019. "Jones Bros completes onshore works for Morlais". reNEWS.biz. 23 June 2023...
Nhadau" gained further popularity when it was sung by Robert Rees ("Eos Morlais"), one of the leading Welsh soloists of his day. It was increasingly sung...
Verdant Isles, there are plans to deploy grid-connected turbines at the Morlais site in northwest Wales. Verdant Isles was awarded a Contracts for Difference...
stage). The Crown Estate announced £1.2million would be invested into the Morlais tidal stream demonstration zone, developed by Menter Môn. The value of...
archived from the original on 2010-09-01, retrieved 2010-08-30 "The Morlais story | Morlais". www.morlaisenergy.com. Retrieved 2023-11-25. Habibic, Ajsa (2023-10-25)...
from Cwrt Sart junction at Briton Ferry on the South Wales Main Line to Morlais junction near Pontarddulais on the Heart of Wales line. The line is currently...
limestone outcrop and quarry areas, such as the Llangattock escarpment or Morlais. The Sandstone quarries of the South Wales valleys underwent sustained...
Llanelli), the route is shared with the Swansea District line as far as Morlais Junction (the site of a serious oil train derailment in the summer of 2020)...
Lliw (L) Afon Llan (L) Afon Gwili (R) River Amman (L) Afon Lash (R) Afon Morlais (R) Afon Dulais Afon Camffrwd Clyne River River Tawe Nant y fendrod (L)...
Castle was besieged by Madog's forces for several months, as was Harlech. Morlais castle was captured under the aegis of Morgan in the south, and Cynan ap...
Stainless Pioneer was hauling a tanker train that derailed and caught fire at Morlais Junction, near Llangennech, Carmarthenshire. In 1989 Railfreight named...
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