VIDEO: Texel floating tidal energy platform

Research & Development

The Texel platform represents a trial for providing clean electricity to remote locations worldwide.

Bluewater has partnered with a group of offshore companies to realize the first floating tidal energy platform which will be moored near Texel in the Wadden sea, the Netherlands, and generate clean electricity from the tides.

The Texel platform is the smaller version of BlueTEC. It consists of container size modules which can be assembled locally.

The platform is designed to be suitable for installation at remote locations.

It holds a 200 KW turbine and accommodates vulnerable electronics equipment inside the unit, for protection, which in turn allows easy access for inspection, maintenance and repair.

The platform can be disconnected from the moored location and taken to a local port for heavy repair when needed.

This will be the first time that a floating tidal platform is used for electricity production into the Dutch grid.

Allard van Hoeken, Head of New Energy at Bluewater Energy Services, said: “This platform can be shipped and installed anywhere in the world, to provide clean electricity in remote areas and small islands, replacing expensive and polluting diesel generators.”

The platform is expected to be installed in March 2015.

Take a look at the animated video of the Texel floating tidal energy platform.

Source/Image: Bluewater