In this exclusive interview Gerallt Llewelyn Jones talks to Business News Wales at the recent Marine Energy Wales conference in Llandudno about the latest developments around Morlais, a tidal stream energy project located off the north west coast of Holy Island, Anglesey.

It is run by local social enterprise Menter Môn, which secured a 45-year lease from Crown Estate lease in 2014. More recently the project secured £31m of funding in what is likely to be the last large grant from the EU’s regional funding programme.

Proving the Commercial Readiness of Tidal Stream Technology from Business News Wales on Vimeo.

WHAT IS TIDAL STREAM ENERGY?

The tides are caused by the gravitational forces of the sun and moon moving the seas around the surface of the earth. It is this movement of water that is used to generate electricity.

In a few places the location of land masses and the shape of the seabed magnifies the movement of the sea to create an area of great tidal energy. The west coast of Anglesey and Holy Island is one of these places with currents of up to 3.7 m/s or 7 knots.

Electricity generated from tidal energy is renewable, low carbon, clean and reliable.