Europe & Middle East Outlook - Issue 8

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M I N E S T O

Low Velocity Since securing a promising €13 million investment from the Welsh government, Minesto has begun to put the wheels in motion for its low velocity tidal project, Deep Green off the coast of North Wales, UK Writer: Emily Jarvis Project Manager: Ben Wigger he UK has long since been identified as a significant market for offshore renewable energy projects, and there are a growing number of developers from across the globe who are showing a more active interest in developing projects, particularly in Welsh waters. Over the past 12 months, Wales has been increasingly identified as a potential location for marine energy projects and investors have been attracted by Wales’ excellent wave and tidal stream resource and the Welsh government’s willingness to develop the marine energy sector. One such Company that has secured funding for its tidal energy solution in North Wales is Swedish marine energy company, Minesto. “The €13 million investment will help to establish a Minesto UK headquarters in North Wales and

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Anders Jansson, CEO of Minesto Anders Jansson has a proven entrepreneurial track record focusing on business development, commercialisation and funding. He has led the company through several successful rounds of capitalisation and his focus on business development has gained traction in all continents giving the company a global network within the renewable energy sector. He has received several awards for his work within venture creation proving the skills of taking a high-tech, startup Company towards commercialisation.

support commissioning of the first commercial Deep Green project and the roll out of marine power plants in Wales,” highlighted a recent press release from the Company. “Wales has extensive raw wave and tidal energy resources along our shorelines, and Minesto’s Deep Green project is an excellent example of commercial solutions being developed in Wales to help drive our potential to be a world-leader in the marine energy market,” added Welsh First Minister, Carwyn Jones. Established in 2007 by Managing Director, Anders Jansson, in collaboration with Saab Group and Chalmers University of Technology, from its two bases in Gothenburg, Sweden and Northern Ireland, UK, Minesto started the Company after identifying a gap in the market for a tidal solution that can operate at low velocity sites; which are much more common than high velocity sites around the world. Minesto’s award-winning product, Deep Green, is the only known marine power plant that operates cost efficiently in areas with low velocity currents. Resembling an underwater kite with a wing and turbine, the tidal solution is attached by a tether to a fixed point on the ocean bed, moving swiftly in a figure of eight trajectory in the current.

Deep Green

In recent years, the Welsh government has been keen to exploit the marine energy resources along its 1,200


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