PLAT-O tidal turbines platform up and running

July 7, 2015

Sustainable Marine Energy’s PLAT-O tidal energy platform has generated first power off the south coast of England.

PLAT-O tidal platform was deployed at Yarmouth testing site. Jason Hayman, Managing Director of SME, said the installation operation went smoothly.

The platform was fitted with two 50 kW SIT Schottel Instream Turbines supplied by Schottel Hydro.

Leask Marine, an Orkney based company, provided the multi-cat vessel, C-Salvor, along with deck crew and a dive team for the marine operations.

Jason Hayman said: “PLAT-O has been generating power consistently, reliably and, most importantly has behaved as we predicted it would. The mooring solution we have developed and employed is as steady as a rock.”

As reported earlier, Sustainable Marine Energy (SME) signed a long term testing contract with the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).

The 100 kW PLAT-O prototype will be grid-connected at EMEC towards the end of 2015. A 200 kW commercial demonstrator will be deployed in 2016, with three more systems to follow, SME’s press release reads.

Matt Slatter, Chairman of SME, said: “PLAT-O has lived up to expectations and we are now focusing on the deployment of PLAT-O at the European Marine Energy Centre and the build of the second PLAT-O. With the support of Scottish Enterprise, we are building the team to deliver a farm of PLAT-O systems generating up to 1 MW of power at EMEC by the end of 2016.”

PLAT-O tidal platform is the buoyant platform that is taut moored to the seabed using an anchoring solution.

The platform can be moored to rock, shingle and sand, and in variable sea depths. The number of turbines that can be mounted on the platform is flexible.

Managing Director of Schottel Hydro Niels Lange said: “The installation of the PLAT-O array at EMEC will further demonstrate that the cost-effective delivery of tidal power to the grid is possible and profitable for commercial projects.”

Sustainable Marine Energy is an Isle of Wight-based engineering company that designed PLAT-O tidal platform built to host tidal turbines that will generate electricity from the tides.

Schottel Hydro, a German-based company, offers services in three segments: hydrokinetic turbines, semi-submerged platforms, and components such as turbine hubs and drives.

Leask Marine Limited is a wave and tidal marine technology supply chain service provider.

Image: Sustainable Marine Energy