The challenge
Tidal stream energy offers a predictable, reliable source of clean power — but the industry has struggled to convert that potential into investable projects. Technologies are maturing, the local supply chain is underdeveloped, and returns depend heavily on ongoing government support. For The Crown Estate, the challenge was clear: without a route to a commercially acceptable return, developers would not build out projects and tidal stream would remain a limited technology.
How we helped
The Crown Estate engaged Grant Thornton to design a delivery model that works for everyone: one that gives developers a commercially acceptable return, while making sure only sufficiently mature projects - backed by real industry and supply chain involvement - come forward. We combined our energy sector and public sector expertise to strike that balance, testing the model against real project commercials so The Crown Estate could set requirements with confidence.
The results
Our analysis gave TCE a clear picture of what makes tidal stream different from other renewables - from cost variation and revenue realisation to route to market and tender design - so requirements could be built around the technology's real economics, not assumptions borrowed from wind or solar.
The approach we developed doesn't stop at tidal: TCE is now applying the same charging model thinking to other offshore infrastructure sectors, we delivered a repeatable framework for bringing emerging marine technologies to commercial maturity.
About our team
Grant Thornton’s Energy Transition and Sustainability team brings together energy policy, regulatory, corporate finance and ESG specialists with deep experience across the public and private sectors. We advise government, regulators and industry on large-scale tenders, energy market reform, commercial due diligence and transactions - helping emerging technologies find a credible, investable route to market.
