Lloyd’s Register IECRE feasibility statement for Flex Marine Power’s tidal energy device (Courtesy of Lloyd’s Register)

Lloyd’s Register issues world’s first IECRE feasibility statement for tidal energy device

Scottish company Flex Marine Power has been awarded the world’s first IECRE feasibility statement by Lloyd’s Register for its SwimmerTurbine SW2 tidal energy converter.

Lloyd’s Register IECRE feasibility statement for Flex Marine Power’s tidal energy device (Courtesy of Lloyd’s Register)

The feasibility statement has been issued following successful completion of the technology qualification process in accordance with IEC TS 62600-4 standards, marking the first time the International Electrotechnical Commission for Renewable Energy (IECRE) has awarded a feasibility statement for a renewable energy technology.

Lloyd’s Register is currently the only certification body that can award statements or certificates for marine energy converters through the IECRE conformity assessment system, since it became the first renewable energy certification body (RECB) with a scope in marine energy to be accepted by the IECRE.

As a RECB, Lloyd’s Register assessed the tidal energy technology in accordance with applicable international standards and published IECRE operational documents.

Following the completion of a technology qualification workshop, Flex Marine Power developed the associated plan outlining the full set of qualification activities they intend completing to provide evidence the technology is viable for the intended application at the deployment site.

According to Lloyd’s Register, Flex Marine Power can now develop a full-scale test program founded on the approved technology qualification plan that formed the basis for the award of the feasibility statement.

This grants Flex Marine Power the basis to pursue certification through the internationally accepted IECRE conformity assessment system.

Winston D’Souza, Lloyd’s Register’s global technical authority for technology qualification and lead marine energy specialist, said: “Lloyd’s Register is a trusted partner for renewable energy technology developers working to achieve recognition through the IECRE conformity assessment system for their respective technologies.

“As Lloyd’s Register has an IECRE scope in wind and marine energy, it makes it the only RECB capable of certifying hybrid energy systems (such as floating energy converters) where technologies share the same offshore floating platform.

“The achievement of this award is evidence of the dedicated work put in by the engineering team at Flex Marine Power that considered the unfamiliar, and their commitment towards working through the next stages of the IECRE conformity assessment system. Lloyd’s Register continues to wish Flex Marine Power every success over the next chapters in the development of their technology.”

David Mummery, CEO and technical director of Flex Marine Power, added: “The assessment of our SwimmerTurbine SW2 tidal energy converter through the IECRE conformity assessment system, was a thorough process that required effort involving detailed scrutiny of our technology by a diverse external group of technical specialists.

“Flex Marine Power has gained value through the process in the minimization of risks, to secure the success of our tidal projects. For Flex Marine Power, achieving this milestone is testament to the capability of our engineering team and preceding technical development work in developing a viable technology suited for scalable power generation in a wide range of coastal locations.”

Flex Marine Power’s tidal turbine comprises two hollow fiberglass blades attached to a steel hub and nacelle which houses the electrical and monitoring equipment within a dry equipment capsule, and connects to a tubular mooring connection structure.

The turbine has a powertrain within its nacelle, which is connected to the shore via an umbilical routed down the mooring. As the turbine rotates it generates electricity which is sent to the shore via the umbilical.

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