Alstom has announced that its full-scale tidal device - immersed in January 2013 at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland - has reached full nominal power of 1MW after a series of gradual increases in power.
The turbine connected to the grid has now generated over 10MWh of electricity, in actual operating conditions, representing major milestones in the development of the tidal stream energy.
The tidal turbine has been tested in different operational conditions through the ReDAPT testing program. It has shown a reliability and performance in line with its design models, the company said in a statement. The next step of the testing program will be to demonstrate the full range of autonomous running capabilities of the turbine, continue with the planned maintenance and gather evidence for certification. The endurance and reliability will also be tested into 2014. Tests in pilot farms will follow prior to the start of full commercial production.
“We are enthusiastic following the initial tests of our tidal stream turbine which successfully demonstrated the advantages of Alstom tidal turbine technology, in the challenging environment of the Fall of Warness in Orkney", stated Alstom Ocean business Vice-President Rob Stevenson.
Alstom's tidal turbine has a 22m long nacelle and weighs 150 tonnes. Its rotor has three pitchable blades and a diameter of 18m. The tidal turbine is capable of floating. Buoyancy enables the turbine nacelle to be easily towed to and from the point of operation and attached to its pre-installed foundation. Avoiding the need for specialist vessels and divers, this particular technical feature minimises installation and maintenance costs and reduces the timeframe to install or retrieve the turbine, says Alstom. The unit operates fully submerged with no surface piercing part, in a water depth of about 40m. The nacelle can rotate around vertical axis to face the incoming tide at an optimal angle, and thus extract the maximum energy potential.
