Energies 2017, 10(9), 1251; https://doi.org/10.3390/en10091251
Exploring Marine Energy Potential in the UK Using a Whole Systems Modelling Approach
1
Energy Technologies Institute, Loughborough LE11 3UZ, UK
2
Institute of Energy Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, UK
3
College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: John Ringwood
Received: 5 July 2017 / Revised: 11 August 2017 / Accepted: 16 August 2017 / Published: 23 August 2017
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Energy)
Abstract
The key market drivers for marine energy are to reduce carbon emissions, and improve the security and sustainability of supply. There are other technologies that also meet these requirements, and therefore the marine energy market is dependent on the technology being cost effective, and competitive. The potential UK wave and tidal stream energy market is assessed using ETI’s energy systems modelling environment (ESME) which uses a multi-vector approach including energy generation, demand, heat, transport, and infrastructure. This is used to identify scenarios where wave and tidal energy form part of the least-cost energy system for the UK by 2050, and will assess what Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) reductions are required to improve the commercialization rate. The results indicate that an installed capacity of 4.9 GW of wave and 2.5 GW of tidal stream could be deployed by 2050 if the LCOE is within 4.5 and 7 p/kWh for each respective technology. If there is a step reduction to the LCOE of wave energy, however, a similar capacity of 5 GW could be deployed by 2050 at a LCOE of 11 p/kWh. View Full-TextKeywords:
wave energy; tidal stream energy; whole systems modelling; economics
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Stegman, A.; de Andres, A.; Jeffrey, H.; Johanning, L.; Bradley, S. Exploring Marine Energy Potential in the UK Using a Whole Systems Modelling Approach. Energies 2017, 10, 1251.
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