News
Company unveil plans for tidal energy project
TIDAL ENERGY LTD held their office opening in Pembroke Dock on Monday highlighting their first wind turbine prototype. Tidal Energy Ltd (TEL) is an innovative tidal stream technology company preparing to install and test at sea a full-scale prototype tidal stream generating device, known as DeltaStream to be tested at Ramsey Sound off St Davids.
TEL plan to develop a demonstration array project, with developers Eco2 Ltd at St Davis Head, also off the coast of Pembrokeshire, with the ambition to be the technology of choice for tidal energy development companies.
DeltaStream is a tidal energy conversion unit, the size of a seven story building, that generates electrical power. It is 20 metres tall and is primarily designed to be located on the seabed in areas with high tidal steam flows, but could also be installed in suitable rivers and estuaries. When mounted in tidal areas, it generated power during both the flow and ebb of the tide.
DeltaStream has a triangular main base frame with rock feet and has been designed to have three independent water turbine generators, which are mounted horizontally.
Maintenance and repair can be quickly executed on the deck of a lifting barge or at a dedicated shore base. In this event, DeltaSteam’s use of three independent water turbine generators insures ongoing power generation and operating venue.
TEL is installing a single DeltaSteam unit off the coast of Pembrokeshire at Ramsey Sound for 12 months. The project will demonstrate the capability of DeltaStream as a tidalstream generator and provide evidence on how the device and environment interact.
Chris Williams, Development Director of Tidal Energy Ltd said: “Only by putting something in the water will we understand how nature will react. We have built an underwater acoustic sonar, which shows us where the animals are, as well as hydrophones to listen enable us to hear them over 700 metres.
The Herald questioned Mr Williams about the risks of using the off shore wind turbines, and he said: “There are two risks: collision and the possibility of having to re-locate, though if there was an issue we wouldn’t be doing it.
Mr Williams told The Herald that TEL are aiming for it to be ready in May 2014.
News
Dredging work set for Tenby Harbour
TENBY HARBOUR and North Beach users are being asked to be aware of heavy moving machinery from Tuesday March 26 th to Friday 29 th as dredging work is carried out.
Sand will removed from the mouth of the Harbour and deposited at the north end of the beach. The work will not affect vessel movements at the Harbour.
Tenby Harbourmaster Chris Salisbury said a licence for the dredging had been issued after several months of application work.
“We ask that the public please keep clear of the operating area and that dogs are kept on a lead during this time,” Chris added.
Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “I’m grateful to our officers for securing the licence for this work to go ahead. This dredging is essential
for the operation of Tenby Harbour.
“The timing of the work has been governed by the tide and the dates represented the last opportunity for the work to be carried out before the boats are placed back in the
water.”
News
Closure of Tata Steel’s coke ovens sparks political and union backlash
THE recent announcement by Tata Steel to close the coke ovens at its Port Talbot plant in South Wales has ignited a firestorm of political and industrial action, highlighting the deepening crisis within the British steel industry and the challenges facing the transition to green steel.
Jo Stevens MP, the Shadow Welsh Secretary, expressed her concerns over the impact of the closure on the Welsh steel industry and the workers affected. Stevens emphasized the need for assurances about the workers’ immediate future and pledged that a UK Labour government would invest in the steel industry to support the transition to green steel, harnessing the skills, talent, and ambition of Welsh steelworkers.
The closure, slated for Wednesday due to concerns over the ovens’ “operational stability,” has been criticized by regional Senedd Members for South Wales West, Tom Giffard MS, and Dr. Altaf Hussain MS. They accused the Labour Welsh Government of neglecting its support for the Tata Steelworks in Port Talbot, highlighting a lack of financial assistance since 2019 and calling for a change in response to the current developments.
Unite, the UK’s leading union, has been vocal in its opposition to Tata’s decision, describing it as a shock and a “result of years of betrayal.” The union criticized Tata for not disclosing the imminent risk of closure during recent consultations and announced a ballot for industrial action among 1,500 Tata workers. Unite insists there should be no job losses at Port Talbot or Llanwern and that a blast furnace should remain operational.
Peter Hughes, Unite’s regional secretary for Wales, called for Tata to halt its closure plans in anticipation of Labour’s promised £3 billion investment to rejuvenate the UK steel industry. He accused Tata of managing the decline of UK steel while accepting government subsidies, describing the company’s actions as “deliberate industrial vandalism.”
The closure has not only raised concerns about the future of steel production in the UK but also spotlighted the political and economic strategies required to ensure the industry’s survival and transition towards more sustainable practices. The unfolding situation underscores the need for a collaborative approach between the government, industry stakeholders, and the workforce to navigate the complex challenges ahead.
News
Firefighters tackle blaze at block of garages in Monkton
ONE person was injured as a result of a sunday afternoon garage fire in a block of garages in Monkton.
A spokesperson for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service told The Pembrokeshire Herald said: “At 1.31pm on March 17, Pembroke Dock and Milford Haven crews were called to extinguish a fire in an alight central garage and were forced to use two breathing apparatus and two hose reels.
“The firefighters reportedly left the scene at 3.02pm after continuing to dampen the fire and check for fire spread.
“The casualty was treated by ambulance service personnel also in attendance.”
The police confirmed that a garage fire had been dealt with by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Welsh Ambulance Service attended.
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