Scotrenewables Tidal Power is performing final commissioning checks on the SR2000 floating tidal turbine before connecting the device to its mooring system at EMEC’s Fall of Warness grid-connected test site in Orkney, managed by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), according to Scottish media.
DP Energy, a shareholder in Scotrenewables Tidal Power, today congratulated the Scotrenewables team on the imminent installation of their SR2000 turbine.
“This is a tremendous achievement by a small and dedicated team,” said Simon De Pietro , Chief Executive of DP Energy. “We are proud to be associated with them. We are committed to the technology neutral approach on our developments around the globe whether they be tidal, wind or solar; but are keen to support innovative and potentially ground breaking generation and storage technologies when we come across them. We also appreciate good engineering and are convinced that there is a promising future for the SR2000. We wish the team, and the SR2000, well.”
In the light of yesterday’s news on the world’s first operational tidal array being installed, Scotland has been put in the spotlight of the tidal energy industry.
Scotland’s Business, Innovation and Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse is in Orkney today, where he has visited Hatston pier, where the SR2000 is readying to commence grid-connected testing.
“Scotland’s capacity to generate tidal power is considerable and this device has the potential to be a real game changer for the industry, not only here in Scotland, but across the world,” Minister Wheelhouse said. “Floating technology like this is likely to be easy and cheap to install, maintain and decommission. This will increase the commercial viability of tidal energy, which is crucial as we continue to transition towards a low carbon economy.”
The 2MW SR2000, the world’s largest tidal turbine, was launched at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast in May.
The 550-tonne device left Belfast Harbour in early June and was towed by Scotmarine’s Orcadia II to Orkney.
The SR2000 utilizes a mooring system that allows the tidal generator to weathervane about the mooring point to maintain a heading into the tidal stream to maximize power generation efficiency.
In addition to DP Energy, the SR2000 project has been supported by Scottish Enterprise’s WATERS II along with investments from other Scotrenewables’ shareholders including ABB, Fred. Olsen, Total and the Scottish Government via the Renewable Energy Investment Fund (REIF).