Spanish tidal energy developer Magallanes Renovables has entered into a berth agreement with the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, where its tidal energy prototype is due to be demonstrated in the next phase of the OCEAN_2G project.
Funded by the Fast Track to Innovation pilot scheme, part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, OCEAN_2G aims to test, validate and pre-certify Magallanes’ second generation (2G) 2MW tidal platform – ‘ATIR’.
Following the launch of the OCEAN_2G project in Vigo, Spain in 2017, Magallanes Renovables has been validating its ATIR prototype in the controlled marine environment at Vigo bay as part of a structured test programme which has seen power being generated via tow tests.
“We’ve been busy testing our device here in Vigo and we are pleased to have already successfully generated electric power during our towing tests,” explained Alejandro Marques de Magallanes, CEO, Magallanes Renovables. “We will continue to optimise the system in order to extract more energy, to ensure the device is performing to its optimum capabilities.”
The next steps will see the full-scale device being towed to Orkney. The operational performance of the system will then be demonstrated at EMEC’s grid-connected tidal test site at the Fall of Warness.
Led by SAGRES - Magallanes Renovables’ parent company - the OCEAN_2G project consortium bring together EMEC, Orkney-based marine services provider Leask Marine, and electrical specialists IM FutuRe.
