The world’s most powerful tidal turbine has been installed at the European Marine Energy Centre on Orkney, UK.
The 2 MW SR2000 floating turbine has been developed and manufactured by Scottish engineering company Scotrenewables Tidal Power Ltd. It will now undergo site commissioning and extensive testing at the site.
The turbine was towed out of Kirkwall by Green Marine vessels on 13 October and attached to its moorings on the Fall of Warness, a grid-connected test site situated west of the island of Eday and lying in a narrowing sea channel between the Westray Firth and Stronsay Firth.
“This is a tremendous achievement for the company and the tidal sector. And it has only been possible through the determination, vision and ingenuity of a small, but highly determined team that has worked relentlessly to get to this … milestone," commented Scotrenewables chief executive Andrew Scott. "We see it as a real [achievement] that we’ve managed to execute a construction and installation programme for a 2MW turbine using only low cost vessels.”
Lindsay Roberts, senior policy manager at green industry body Scottish Renewables, added: “This announcement from Scotrenewables is a major leap forward for the company, and one of which they’re rightly proud. The installation of the world’s most powerful tidal turbine is another milestone for the sector.”
The Fall of Warness site was chosen for its high velocity marine currents which reach almost 4m/sec (7.8 knots) at spring tides. As tides flow from the North Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea, they speed up as they are funnelled through Orkney's northern islands.
Source: Modern Power Systems
