Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

WW1 shipwrecks search 'helping renewable energy'

WW1 shipwrecks search 'helping renewable energy'

A study mapping shipwrecks off the Welsh coast is being used to develop green energy projects.

A study mapping hundreds of shipwrecks around the Welsh coast is crucial for the development of green energy, a university scientist has said.

Sonar is being used to survey ships which sank during World War One, but green projects are benefitting from data about tides and the seabed.

Bangor University's Dr Mike Roberts said the coast had "unique" qualities for marine energy.

Renewable UK said it was "incredibly important" for offshore energy.

Using multi-beam sonar on a research vessel called the Prince Madog, the team has surveyed more than 300 shipwrecks in the Irish Sea, with many of those being sunk in World War One.

"While these wartime relics can provide valuable information to historians and archaeologists, they may also help lead to the birth of a new industry," Dr Roberts said.

"The data we're collecting is providing unique insights into how these wrecks influence physical and biological processes in the marine environment.


"Every one has its own story."

By looking at the wrecks, scientists can assess how structures have been affected by being in water for the past 100 years.

Energy that can be generated at sea - such as offshore wind, tidal, wave, tidal ranges and turbines - "needs an understanding" of the seabed, Dr Roberts said.

The research has already been used for two projects - Morlais marine energy, a tidal stream energy scheme off the coast of Anglesey and a wave energy project south of Pembrokeshire, where construction on a test site is set to begin in 2020.

Dr Roberts said: "The ambition in Wales is to generate energy from the sea. It's a unique place to do it because not everywhere has got strong currents, big waves or tidal surges, but you get all of that in Wales.

"If you're going to put lots of machines on the seabed we need to know the impact on the seabed. It could sink or get buried in sediment.

"We're hoping to inform them through research about the seabed - what ships are there and the most stable places to do this."

Rhys Jones, head of Renewable UK Cymru, said: "This sort of thing is incredibly important because offshore wind is clearly going to make an increasing contribution to both Wales and the UK renewable energy generating capacity over the coming decades.

"There's the potential for the development to go out into deeper water because of the increasing capabilities of the turbines themselves, so technology like this has a real part to play in the future of offshore wind development."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×