Blackburn, UK, based Optima Control Solutions Ltd has been working to develop a power conversion system designed to capture energy within a floating horizontal axis tidal stream generator. The system has just completed its testing stage and is now ready to be fitted into the generator which will be deployed in Scotland later this year, although as yet the precise dates for its deployment are uncertain.
The generation of energy from ocean tidal flow is an emerging technology which could add between 6GW to 12GW of clean power to the UK’s renewable energy mix, however many challenges remain before tidal generation systems can be deployed in a hostile marine environment. Tidal generators can be located in the sea at a distance of 1km or more from the shore but are susceptible to the effects of fast tidal streams and must also survive the battering from waves generated by storm activity. Furthermore, a robust electrical transmission system is needed to transmit generated power back to the shore with minimal loss.
Ocean Flow Energy Ltd (Oceanflow) has been working on a floating tidal stream generator for the last 5 years, funded partly by a Scottish Enterprise WATERS grant. The project consists of a mono turbine floating device known as the Evopod. The device floats, along with most of the structure, just below the surface of the sea and is moored to the sea bed using cables. As the tide flows past the system, the turbine turns and generates electrical current from an on-board generator.
A prototype Evopod is currently being constructed which will be able to generate approximately 25kW of power in nominal tidal flows. This will then be used to study the effect of the marine environment in preparation for a full scale device expected to generate 1MW at nominal tidal flow. Approximately one year ago Optima Control Solutions received the contract to design and deliver the power conversion and transmission equipment for the prototype Evopod which is to be located in Sanda Sound, South Kintyre, Scotland. The test rig for the conversion system has been used extensively to further refine the control algorithms which will enable the generator to cope with expected flow and sea states and now that this stage of the process is complete, the conversion system is ready to be fitted into the generator itself.
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