French developer EEL Energy has released a video of the recently completed trials on its tidal energy prototype based on undulating membrane concept.
One-month long trials started in November 2017 in the port of Brest in France, marking the first ever sea trials on the technology.
The try-outs were performed using TSM Penzer vessel from Iroise Mer which towed the 1:6 scale device.
The aim was to validate the performance of EEL Energy’s tidal converter in real sea conditions.
EEL tidal energy converter consists of a membrane that optimizes energy transfer by coupling fluid flow with an undulating structure.
The membrane undulates under moving fluid pressure, and this periodic motion is transformed into electricity by an electromechanical system.
The energy is converted along the whole length of the rubber membrane surface.