The first BlueTEC Tidal Energy platform was formally named by the Mayor of Texel, the Netherlands.
The floating platform, which holds tidal turbines below the sea surface, will soon be positioned near the island of Texel supplying clean electricity to theDutch grid.
This first BlueTEC will serve as a demonstration platform targeted at remote locations worldwide, such as islands in Indonesia, Philippines and the Pacific. It is also the start of further development of higher capacity tidal energy platforms, to be deployed in large farms.
“We are very pleased that we have reached this exciting milestone for our first floating tidal demonstration platform, ” says Bluewater’s Head of New Energy Allard van Hoeken at the naming ceremony. Van Hoeken added:
“It is wonderful to see the Texel tidal energy project come to reality.Today’s ceremony puts us a step closer to our goal of putting an all-in-one tidal energy platform on the market and delivering clean, local and endless energy to the world.”
The coming weeks, the platform will be installed offshore the island of Texel and connected to the Dutch electricity grid–starting its electricity production before summer. It is meant to stay there producing elec tricity for several years, allowing multiple turbines to be tried out.