Spiralis Energy is meeting with locals to discuss the opportunities that testing in the Alderney Race could bring to Britain's renewable energy market.

The idea is to gather evidence during trials in harsh sea conditions in the Alderney Race in March or April 2025 to persuade the British government to back wave energy as a viable addition to wind and solar.

So far, the testing by other companies of a variety of wave energy devices, both off Alderney and in other sea areas, has failed to produce a reliable, feasible source of energy.

The Spiralis machine, named the Axial Skelter, has now been off loaded at Braye Harbour. It has come from Poole and is six metres long. George Illovy, a co-designer at the company, says it is inspired by a marine creature:

“Modelled on the natural elegance of the Turritella seashell, our Skelter is proof that innovation can be simple, effective, and deeply sustainable. Beyond delivering clean energy, this technology offers opportunities for job creation and apprenticeships, leveraging the existing skills of coastal and maritime industries.

"By starting here in Alderney, we’re not just showcasing tidal energy, we’re building the foundations of a circular, community driven energy future.”

Spiralis and the States of Alderney have been in talks over its deployment for some time. Bill Abel, who heads Marine Working Group, has been closely involved:

“The Alderney tidal resource is significant and projects in the past to harness our tides have not been successful. At last Alderney will be able to say that tidal power is something that is now tangible. 

We are encouraged that Spiralis has chosen our Island for the deployment of their demonstrator unit early next year and recognize its potential to produce power economically."

Guy Levene, CEO of Spiralis Energy.

Spiralis estimate that the Axial Skelter can generate enough power for 250,000 cups of tea and it will use this message when it approaches the British government with its test data. Its CEO is Guy Levene:

“The Tides2Tea campaign is more than just an exciting showcase of our technology, it’s a call to action for a cleaner, more predictable energy future.

Alderney represents the future of what’s possible, and we’re proud to pioneer an energy transformation with the support of the island's community - and all for the price of a cup of tea.”