Schottel Hydro equips Minesto’s tidal kite

Schottel Hydro will deliver a customized turbine solution for Minesto’s Deep Green tidal power plant.

For Minesto, Schottel Hydro is developing a new turbine variant, which will optimally fit the requirements of Deep Green.

The Deep Green turbine will be significantly smaller and operate at higher rpms than the standard Schottel Instream Turbine with rotor diameters between 3 and 5 m.

The light weight nacelle power take-off system includes turbine, drive train, power electrics and auxiliary devices.

According to Schottel Hydro, all components will be tailor-made to fit the electric system of the kite.

In addition to the turbine engineering and manufacturing, Schottel Hydro will also carry out a full-load test series on a specially built test stand prior to installing the turbine in the third quarter of 2016.

Minesto’s Deep Green power plant is planned for deployment in 2017 at the Holyhead Deep site off the coast of Anglesey, Wales.

Deep Green tidal power generation concept uses the magnified power of the ocean to generate electricity even in areas of low tidal velocity.

The technology consists of a wing, that resembles the kite, and the electricity is produced when the water current creates a hydrodynamic lift force on the wing which pushes the kite forward.

During the coming three years, 19 more devices will follow and eventually form an array with an overall capacity of 10 MW, Shottel Hydro’s press release reads.

Minesto, a Swedish-based tidal energy developer, has recently secured €3.5 million from KIC InnoEnergy for the development of Deep Green tidal power plan, following €13 million investment from the European Regional Development Fund granted earlier this year.

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

Image: Minesto