The Seahive will generate significant jobs and inward investment into the region whilst being mindful of energy consumption and water usage.
Economic generation
Through being a year-round flagship attraction for Dover and the South East which diversifies the traditional seasonal tourist model, The Seahive will generate more than 100 jobs during peak season alongside a meaningful number of indirect employment opportunities due to increased tourism, longer duration stays and the associated support of local businesses
Dover District is ranked 107th out of the 317 Local Authorities in the UK, which places it in the bottom third of deprived authorities. The unemployment rate in Dover, as at December 2021, was above both the national and regional levels. In addition, as at May 2022, Dover had 2,695 residents claiming universal credit.
The Seahive will not only bolster the local economy and generate additional jobs for local residents, but will also run programmes designed to support and equip people to build the motivation and self-belief needed to get back into the workforce via targeted ‘surf to work’ courses, which we will aim to run in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pensions.
Water usage
All Wavegarden lagoons are designed to make the best quality and quantity of waves with as little water as possible. The largest Wavegarden Cove surfing lagoon is a closed circuit basin that requires approximately 25,000m³ of water to fill and since the water does not need to be renewed, the water is not “lost”.
Wavegarden systems are continually monitored to identify opportunities for additional water savings by tracking water consumption. And the water quality is kept in perfect conditions. As a result, it is classified as potable and can be poured into any environment without causing damage to the ecosystem.
Wavegarden Cove, Praia da Grama, Brazil
On an annual basis, depending on average rainfall and rates of evaporation (solar and wind), water usage is approximately 30,000m³. This is about the same as one olympic swimming pool and significantly less than a golf course. In fact, a typical golf course, depending on seasonal rainfall patterns, uses between 300,000 -800,000m³ of water per year which equates to approximately 17-40m litres per hole.
Annual water usage is equivalent to irrigating 1-2 holes of golf on a typical 18-hole course
Energy consumption
The wave generator uses approximately 350 kWh, which is 10x less than comparable pneumatic systems and less than operating a single chairlift at a ski resort for an hour. In addition, the power consumption is monitored continuously with data analysed in order to identify opportunities for additional energy savings and with a mindset of always seeking to maximise energy efficiency.
There are three main reasons which contribute to this energy efficiency. Firstly, the modular paddles use electric motors to move the mechanical parts and there is very little energy lost in the transmission to the water. Secondly, hydrodynamic forces (as the paddle moves back into position) are used to regenerate energy during the process, recovering up to 15% of the energy. And thirdly, energy consumption in the period between wave sets (known as standby consumption) is extremely low.
We have set ourselves the target of powering the entire wave lagoon with sustainable energy sources
Some other Wavegarden facilities around the world are powered entirely by renewable energy sources. This is key, not just because of energy costs but - more importantly - because we have a duty to protect the planet.