Geothermal projects in Cornwall have secured Government contracts to provide clean energy.
The Manhay, Penhallow and United Down projects, run by private firm Geothermal Engineering, have secured the 15-year deals.
Meanwhile South West solar projects have also received contracts, among them, Langford and Peradon Solar Farms near Exeter, Gammaton Solar Farms in North Devon, Enso Green Holdings at North Petherton near Bridgwater and Aller Langport in Somerset, and Rampisham Woods, Fern Brook Solar Farm near Shaftesbury and Galton Manor near Dorchester.
All of the projects will produce 320.88 MW of low carbon energy for the region. Falmouth-based HydroWing also secured a tidal energy contract for its work in South Wales.
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The Great South West, a partnership of firms based in the region, as well as business enterprise groups and local authorities, said no bids had been received for any Ƶ offshore wind farm projects, including those in the Celtic Sea.
The group said that industry experts had cited an “inadequate” energy strike price and urged the Government to take swift action to ensure the Celtic Sea array and offshore industry developing in the region does not stall.
Karl Tucker, chair of the Great South West, said: “It’s fantastic news for our geothermal capabilities and it’s great to see low carbon energy production being backed right across the region, but it is a blow for offshore wind generation, which is needed if we are to meet our renewable energy generation targets.”
He added: “It is now vital that the Government reassesses its approach to offshore wind as a matter of urgency, and looks again at setting realistic pricing. This must happen alongside the need to boost National Grid capacity and reviewing planning rules. Considerable progress has been made and we cannot afford to let that slip.”
In last year’s contract round, Hexicon’s TwinHub secured 15-year revenue support for a 32 MW floating wind Celtic Sea project, as part of the Wave Hub demonstration site off Hayle, the Government's first ever dedicated ‘Contract for Difference’ award for floating wind in the Ƶ.
The Great South West said the area has the potential to provide 11% of the Ƶ’s low carbon energy by 2035.
