Wales Bets Big on Tidal Power With 20 MW HydroWing Array
The UK’s Morlais Project Could Redefine Renewable Energy’s Future
In a major step for marine energy, Inyanga Marine Energy Group has tapped Hutchinson Engineering to fabricate critical components for its HydroWing tidal devices. The deal, part of a 20 MW array at Wales’s Morlais site off Anglesey, signals a turning point for an industry long hampered by high costs and technical hurdles. If successful, the project could cement tidal power’s role in the global energy mix—and prove Wales’s claim as a renewables leader.
“Morlais isn’t just a milestone for Wales—it’s the world’s largest tidal energy scheme,” says Inyanga CEO Richard Parkinson. “This is about harnessing predictable, relentless ocean forces at scale.”
The contract mandates Hutchinson to build a 120-ton foundation frame and rear nacelle for each HydroWing unit, with specialized welding and anti-corrosion coatings to withstand 25 years of brutal subsea conditions. Each 1.2 MW device will be assembled at Hutchinson’s Cheshire facility before final quayside integration in Wales, targeting Q1 2026 for the first deployment.
Engineering the Tidal Future
HydroWing’s design is key to its promise: seabed-mounted “wings” fitted with bidirectional turbines that capture energy on both flood and ebb tides. Unlike traditional single-turbine systems, this modular approach aims to slash installation and maintenance costs—critical for scaling beyond niche projects. “We’re not just building hardware; we’re proving tidal can compete with offshore wind,” notes Hutchinson MD John Wood.
The Welsh Government’s £2 million (~€2.36 million) investment in Inyanga last May underscores the project’s strategic importance. Beyond Morlais, the company is eyeing expansions in France, Southeast Asia, and Canada, where tidal resources remain largely untapped. For now, all eyes are on Anglesey. If HydroWing delivers, the ripple effect could be global.
“Tidal energy’s predictability solves renewables’ biggest flaw: intermittency,” says Wood. “This isn’t just local infrastructure—it’s a blueprint.”
As Morlais takes shape, the real test begins. Can tidal power finally transition from experimental to economical? Wales is betting its waves—and its workforce—on the answer being yes.
