Tidal Generation Limited (TGL), a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce, has announced that its 500kW tidal turbine prototype, which operates subsea off the Orkney Islands, Scotland, has surpassed the 200MWh mark of electrical power fed into the national grid.
Installed as part of the Deep-Gen III project, co-funded by the UK government-backed Technology Strategy Board, the prototype tidal turbine is currently deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre’s (EMEC) offshore test site.
The tidal unit’s three-bladed turbine is attached by a tripod to the seabed and can operate, fully submerged, at water depth of 40m. Its design allows the turbine to continually rotate to face the incoming tide at an optimal angle, says the company.
“We are delighted to have exceeded 200MWh of electricity supply to the grid with our tidal technology,” said Robert Stevenson, CEO, Tidal Generation Limited. “This demonstrates the tremendous potential of tidal as a cleaner, greener source of energy. Government support and incentives will be required to create the necessary investment climate to bring the technology to commercial scale, competitive with other renewable sources.”