Exploring Marine Energy Potential in the UK Using a Whole Systems Modelling Approach

Anna Stegman, Adrian De Andres, Henry Jeffrey, Lars Johanning and Stuart Bradley
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Anna Stegman: Energy Technologies Institute, Loughborough LE11 3UZ, UK
Adrian De Andres: Institute of Energy Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, UK
Henry Jeffrey: Institute of Energy Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3DW, UK
Lars Johanning: College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
Stuart Bradley: Energy Technologies Institute, Loughborough LE11 3UZ, UK

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 9, 1-20

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.

Keywords: wave energy; tidal stream energy; whole systems modelling; economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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