Orkney-based Scotrenewables Tidal Power has launched its 2MW SR2000, the world’s largest energy generating tidal turbine. The company launched the 550 tonne machine at Harland & Wolff Heavy Industries Ltd in Belfast on Thursday May 12. The turbine will undergo preliminary tow trials in Belfast Lough before being towed to the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney to commence a grid connected test programme.
The SR2000 is the culmination of more than 12 years of a detailed and incremental engineering R&D programme, with the project being supported by £1.25 million (EUR 1.6 million) funding under the Scottish Government’s WATERS2 initiative. The turbine design follows Scotrenewables’ floating generating platform philosophy, which the company expects will deliver a step-change cost and risk reduction to the commercial tidal energy sector.
Speaking at the turbine launch, the company’s Chief Executive Officer Andrew Scott said: “We’re now looking forward to getting the machine up to EMEC and starting the test programme to demonstrate more of the clear engineering and cost advantages our approach can bring to the commercial tidal sector.”
Simon de Pietro, CEO of DP Energy – a key investor in the project – said in a statement that the tidal energy sector was rapidly approaching maturity. “The sector is now beyond its emerging phase and the SR2000 device is a bold step forward proving the viability of tidal as a sustainable, reliable and predictable energy source,” he said.