Tidal Energy Ltd (TEL) has released a video explaining the environmental monitoring solutions incorporated in its recently deployed DeltaStream tidal energy device.
In order to assess the environmental impacts, particularly regarding marine mammals and potential collisions, TEL has built a remote acoustic monitoring platform.
The structure is able to provide a visual image of any objects within the vicinity of the turbine. The active sonar provides a visual image of any object moving around the turbine blades.
The acoustic doppler located on top of a remote platform provides information regarding the tidal stream velocity and direction.
The remote monitoring acoustic platform is located away from the turbine so that the active sonar can provide a good image of the full rotor width. It is connected to the DeltaStream device via subsea cable.
TEL’s team is thus able to live, from the control center, understand exactly what objects are moving around the turbine, but more importantly, how they react to the turbine being in place.
On top of DeltaStream’s frame, there is a black dome which marks one of the pods that houses the hydrophones. The system is used to acoustically detect marine mammals located around the turbine.
There are 4 of these pods mounted around DeltaStream device that allows TEL to track marine mammals in three dimensions.
To remind, TEL deployed its 400 kW DeltaStream demonstration device in Ramsey Sound, off Pembrokeshire, in December, 2015.
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