SME installs PLAT-I tidal platform

 
Sustainable Marine Energy (SME) has installed the PLAT-I floating tidal energy platform in Connel Sound in Scotland.

The installation was conducted by the Orkney-based marine renewables services provider Green Marine UK, which completed the operation on November 25, 2017, the companies said on social media.

The commissioning of four Schottel Hydro SIT250 tidal energy turbines mounted on the platform continued throughout the weekend.

“Our PLAT-I tidal energy platform has checked into Connel for her first day of testing 500m west of the Bridge. A massive thank you to Schottel Hydro, Green Marine, JBS Group, Sequentec and all of the team at SME who have worked incredibly hard to get the platform installed.

“Now we begin commissioning and testing which will demonstrate how tidal energy can provide zero carbon power for island and coastal communities all around the world,” SME said on social media on November 26, 2017.

The PLAT-I platform is 32 meters long, with a beam of 27 meters. Each turbine mounted on the platform is rated at 70kW, bringing the total rated output of the PLAT-I to 280kW.

The platform has been designed for more sheltered and slightly more benign sites in terms of wave climate, and following the trials in Scotland, it will be deployed in the Philippines.