Visitors to Ramsey over the past 10 years will probably have seen leaflets and posters about the proposed tidal turbine that was in the pipeline for Ramsey Sound. Its been a long time coming and suffered set backs along the way but it is finally installed and operational.
It is a test device to gauge how this technology can cope with very fast flowing currents such as those found in Ramsey Sound (speeds of up to 8 knots). Concerns have been raised about the potential impacts on marine animals but a robust monitoring system has been in place in the years leading up to deployment, through the deployment phase itself and will continue until the device is removed (possibly in a years time but it can stay in for longer if needs be).
If the trial is successful, plans are being made to install a fully functioning array of turbines 2 miles north of St Davids Head
Ramsey Sound lies within the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation and as ever with projects such as these in sensitive wildlife sites the final proof will be in the eating but we wish it well. As was demonstrated by the recent climate talks in Paris, something needs to change and harnessing tidal power could well become a growth industry going forward so trials such as this as very important if progress is to be made.
On paper the scale of the turbine sounded huge but when you saw it being lowered in to the water it actually looked very small against the backdrop of Ramsey Sound. We are told the company who invented and installed the DeltaStream device will be carefully monitoring it using sensors and cameras throughout the year and will be able to react accordingly if collisions with marine animals occur
For a lot more information about the project and media reaction to the installation see the following links:
1. Tidal Energy Ltd information
2. Press article including you tube video of deployment
We had a grand stand view of proceedings as demonstrated by the following photos
The 120m long offshore construction vessel 'Siem Daya 1' dwarfed the turbine and did an excellent job of holding herself stock still as engineers worked day and night
The 'daffodil' as it became known locally being lowered in to Ramsey Sound
Front row seats!
It was a long day but they eventually completed installation on the evening of 13th December. Carrying out the work at this time of year meant there was no risk of disruption to our breeding Manx shearwaters which are currently on the other side of the wold wintering off the coast of Argentina. Careful planning will be needed if any maintenance work is required next year as this sort of light pollution will clearly not be acceptable in the breeding season. Shearwaters are nocturnal on land and easily distracted by artificial man made lighting near the colony which can result in bird strikes against the lit structure. Fledglings are particularly vulnerable. The RNLI have been very cooperative on this matter regarding the construction of their new lifeboat station at St Justinians and we trust Tidal Energy Ltd will be equally so should the need arise.