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Solent Ocean Energy Centre (SOEC)

Location / Characteristics

SOEC will comprise:

1. Offshore infrastructure:

20 Megawatt grid connected ‘test and demonstration’ facility located around 3km south of St. Catherine’s Point, including:

  • subsea export cable(s);
  • subsea device cable network;
  • subsea connection unit;
  • cable protection systems;
  • navigational / monitoring / survey equipment.

2. Onshore infrastructure:

  • Headquarters.
  • Dedicated project substation.
  • Local ports for assembly, deployment, operation and maintenance and support activities.  

The Test & Demonstration Hub will comprise: 

1. SOEC Demonstration Site (St Catherine’s Race):

  • 20 megawatt total capacity. 
  • Five megawatt limit per technology deployed.
  • Single unit demonstrations and array testing.
  • Flexible tenancy.
  • Pre-consented site – deploy and plug-in (some devices may require separate Environmental Impact Assessment).
  • Full operational capacity – technologies and procedures 11/33kilovolts electrical infrastructure.

2. SOEC Project Substation (IOW):

  • 11/33kilovolt transformer and power conditioning equipment.
  • Control and monitoring of devices and data via fibre optic cables and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system.
  • Full data access and confidentiality.
  • Meteorological station.
  • Small workshop and lay-down area.
  • Grid connection via Ventnor substation.

3. SOEC Headquarters (IOW):

  • Individual offices for clients.
  • General office and administrative support. 

Operational life – 20 years from approximately January 2017.