Minesto has completed the design and technical specifications for its upgraded Dragon 12 system, which will serve as the foundation for the first Dragon farm in Hestfjord, Faroe Islands. This 10MW Phase 1 project builds on the successes of the Dragon 12 system in Vestmanna, where the company has been evaluating performance and refining critical technical systems since commissioning the system earlier this year.

Key updates for the Hestfjord site include:

  • Improved generator capacity: The Dragon 12’s generator capacity has been increased to 1.75 MW to enhance energy output.
  • Customized wing profile and longer tether: Adaptations to the wing profile and a longer tether will further boost production efficiency.
  • Streamlined maintenance: Both onshore and offshore service procedures have been scaled up to reduce operating costs.
  • Proven infrastructure: The project will rely on existing subsea cable solutions, onshore transformers, and a foundation design already validated in Vestmanna, avoiding the need for additional technology development.

These advancements were informed by a third-party technology review conducted by DNV and an analysis of tidal flow conditions in Hestfjord, confirming its suitability for high-efficiency operations.

Economic and technological outlook

Dr. Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto, emphasized the significance of these developments: “Our work efforts the last months lead to two overall conclusions: firstly, we can offer the lowest cost ocean energy in the world already at our first array build out and secondly, we have selected a near perfect tidal site for our technology. So, despite obvious cost of energy disadvantages of initially building a small-scale project, we start our journey towards reduction of LCOE at a point where other marine energy technologies hope to end theirs.”

Ongoing testing in Vestmanna supports preparations for Hestfjord operations and smaller microgrid projects. Recent advancements include:

  • Improved launch and recovery: A two-week campaign led to enhancements in anchoring procedures for the large megawatt kite, optimizing quay-side space and operational flexibility.
  • Microgrid system preparation: The site is being readied for small-scale D4 systems, with upgrades to seabed infrastructure to support efficient microgrid operations of up to 200 kW.

To further improve performance, a tether extension of 15% is being manufactured for Dragon 12, utilizing the available depth at the Vestmanna site. This will also be tested in preparation for Hestfjord deployment.

Minesto continues to prioritize reliability and scalability of the Dragon 12 system, addressing critical subsystems and operational procedures. The company is transitioning from an R&D-focused approach to large-scale commercial operations, with efforts directed toward documentation, training, and procedural development.

Dr. Edlund concluded: “Our development work both on the technical and commercial side focus on the next natural step –array build-out.”