Minesto gears for Faroe Islands demo launch

June 29, 2020, by Adis Ajdin

Minesto and its partner, electric utility SEV, are progressing their joint tidal energy demonstration project in Vestmannasund, Faroe Islands.

With Minesto staff and hardware at the site, the installation work is at full speed to connect Minesto’s DG100 kite system to the Faroe Islands electricity grid.

“The team is doing a terrific job and we are really looking forward to the big milestone that lies ahead of us in generating electricity to the Faroese grid with our unique Deep Green technology,” said Dr Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto.

Swedish marine energy developer recently set up the gravity-based foundation of its Faroe Islands project.

Orkney-based Leask Marine designed and also fabricated the gravity-based foundation.

The foundation will provide the connection point for Minesto’s DG100 tidal kite system.

Specifically, when installed to the foundation, the kite system can operate freely in its automatically controlled figure-of-eight trajectory.

Minesto, along with SEV, has secured all necessary permits and consents for the installation of two grid-connected tidal kite systems.

Minesto also secured public funding of €3.5 million through EIC Accelerator and SEA for the implementation of the Vestmannasund project.

Furthermore, SEV recently published a study showing tidal power potential for Faroe Islands to balance other renewable energy sources.

As a result, SEV estimates it could be possible to utilise the equivalent of 150–200MW installed capacity for tidal power production in the Faroe Islands.