How A Giant Underwater Kite Will Be Britain’s New Source Of Power

Known for its picturesque villages and beautiful landscape, Anglesey is a sleepy island just off the North-West Coast of Wales. Described by Visit Wales as “The home of peace and quiet” the island has previously been known as a low-key tourist escape, its quiet beaches providing a weekend refuge for frazzled Brits. Not anymore though. Currently, Anglesey is the target of global speculation, with its shores becoming host to a revolutionary energy operation; the world’s first “Deep Green” project.

What Is It?

Essentially a giant underwater kite. Whilst most tidal energy converters are designed to be stationary and sit on the sea’s surface, or secured to its bed, the Deep Green project uses an underwater plane replicate. This plane is attached by chain to the ocean floor and powered by the current, like a kite is powered by the blowing wind.

How Much Electricity Is Generated?

Each Deep Green device will produce 0.5 megawatts, with Mineseto estimating that 100 devices would generate enough power for over 30,000 homes. The Holyhead Deep site located in Wales is to be expanded in stages, from one initial test device to over twenty, with planning permission to later scale to 160 devices, amounting to 80MW.

Is This The Future For British Energy?

Over the course of 2016, over £1bn of investment into renewable energy projects disappeared (The Guardian, 2017) casting a gloomy outlook over green UK energy sources. However, with most cancelled projects being wind turbine sites, maybe Britain simply refocused their attention from wind energy to ocean energy.

Works Cited

Green Match . (2016). Wave and Tidal Energy: part of the UK’s energy mix. Retrieved from Enormous Potential of Tidal Energy and Wind Power in the UK: Green Match
Minesto. (© 2017). Minesto – Our Technology. Retrieved from here
The Guardian. (2017). Renewables investment in UK will fall 95% over next three years – studt. Retrieved from The Guardian`s website.