ORKNEY-based Scotrenewables Tidal Power has launched the world’s largest energy generating tidal turbine - in Belfast.
The company, which is at the forefront of the floating tidal technology sector, has installed the 550 tonne two megawatts machine at Harland & Wolff on the Harbour Estate.
The first commercial scale machine built by the company, the turbine will undergo preliminary trials in Belfast Lough before being towed to the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney to commence a grid connected test programme.
The SR2000 turbine is the culmination of more than 12 years of a detailed and incremental engineering R&D programme, with the project being supported by £1.25m funding under the Scottish Government’s WATERS2 initiative.
The turbine design follows Scotrenewables’ floating generating platform philosophy, which the company expects will deliver a step-change cost and risk reduction to the commercial tidal energy sector.
The company’s chief executive Andrew Scott said: “This is an exciting time for us and a major milestone to reach. It is the result of an enormous effort by a dedicated team at Scotrenewables.
"We’ve also been fortunate to have been supported by a committed group of suppliers through the build, especially here with Harland & Wolff in Belfast.”
He added: “We’re now looking forward to getting the machine up to EMEC and start the test programme to demonstrate more of the clear engineering and cost advantages our approach can bring to the commercial tidal sector.”
Steel fabrication of the machine was carried out by fabricators in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England with assembly and commissioning of the SR2000 taking place at Harland & Wolff shipyard over the past 12 months, drawing on the shipyard’s 150 years of marine manufacturing experience to deliver this next generation technology.
H&W chief executive Robert Cooper said: “We are very pleased to be able to deliver this state of the art device and to help Scotland and Northern Ireland develop new energy generating technologies.”
