The first of a new generation of wave-powered generators designed and built in Sunderland’s shipyards has set sail. The million-pound Neptune Proteus tidal stream demonstrator has been built on Wearside by family-run Wear Dock and Engineering. Weighing more than 160 tonnes and stretching to around 20 metres long, with a breadth of 14 metres, the generator is being shipped to Humberside where it will be put into action in a series of trials. A 1,000 tonne crane has been drafted in to lift the generator onto a 40 metre sq barge. Neptune Proteus is the first tidal generator to be manufactured at the site of the city’s former shipbuilding yards. Since taking over the Wear Dockyard in 2002 Harry Wilson and his family have established Wear Dock and Engineering as a leading east coast ship-repairer and marine engineering facility.

Councillor Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “This is a very exciting time for Mr Wilson and his team at Wear Dock and Engineering. We would like to hope that the manufacture of the tidal power generator demonstrates Sunderland’s ability to deliver these new innovative and green industry projects on time and on budget, creating further opportunities for the city to harness its maritime engineering and manufacturing skills.

“The renewable energy sector has the potential to grow at a rapid rate and we’ll be very interested to see how the initial trials of this generator go when it is installed in the River Humber.”

Wear Dock beat off stiff competition to land the contract to produce the generator for East Yorkshire-based Neptune Renewable Energy. The company plans to install the tidal power generator for an initial three-month evaluation period. Its innovative design means it has potential to produce 30 percent more electricity compared to traditional hydro designs.

Harry Wilson, managing director at Wear Dock and Engineering, said: “There is clearly great potential in tidal power. It is cost-effective, environmentally friendly and has advantages over other renewable energy types due to the consistency of the tides. This project will hopefully lead to more work within the renewable energy sector, which will not only secure existing jobs in the city but longer term will enable us to create new jobs including apprenticeships.”

Said Nigel Petrie, chairman, Neptune Renewable Energy Ltd: "We believe that the future for Neptune Renewable Energy and Proteus is extremely bright, given the renewed focus by Government on renewable power generation. We are confident that this technology can be successfully applied in other sites in the UK and, potentially, worldwide."