Hayle Wave Hub (Test Site)

Hayle Wave Hub (Test Site) is a 23 MW wave and tidal power plant in England, United Kingdom. It is operated by Wave Hub. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 14,391 homes (estimated). It ranks #395 of 2,751 United Kingdom power plants by installed capacity. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, the national grid averages 217 gCO₂/kWh (64.4% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GBR0002457.

Capacity vs largest wave and tidal plants in United Kingdom

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Wave Hub.

Local climate & thermal context

This wave and tidal plant converts the motion of waves or tides into electricity. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 50.2°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 6% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 52/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

In colder climates, uninsulated hot equipment (boilers, turbines, valves, steam lines) loses proportionally more heat to ambient air — exactly the loss Inzonex modular insulation is designed to cut.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #1 largest wave and tidal power plant of 7 in United Kingdom by capacity.

United Kingdom has 7 wave and tidal power plants in this dataset, together about 38 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Wheal Alfred Road Solar Farm · Solar · 4 MW · England
• Hope Solar Farm · Solar · 7 MW · England
• Nanterrow Farm · Solar · 5 MW · England
• Pengelly Barton Farm · Biomass · 1 MW · England
• Little White Alice Solar Park · Solar · 1 MW · England
• Carn Vean · Wind · 10 MW · England

Location

Coordinates 50.205, -5.4423 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.