AGM Marine installed the BTTS on behalf of MRECo, utilising three piles with the work platform secured on top and a winch that will power the lifting member that turbines will be attached to. The structure is now secure in the water off the Railroad Bridge and the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Cape Cod Canal Field Office. It was constructed at MassTank in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
The next step in preparing the site for testing will be to install data acquisition, processing and transmission systems on top of the platform. These will be analysed and tested by engineers from Impact Labs, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Following on from this, engineers from the University of Rhode Island are potentially interested in deploying an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler which will collect data that will enable them to precisely map the water velocity variations during several tidal cycles.
MRECo is now actively seeking tidal device designers who need somewhere to get their equipment in the water to test performance and energy output. The test stand is pre-permitted, easily accessed by boat from shore and can also be customized. The water velocity is in the 4 knot range, which is ideal for developers who want to make design improvements before scaling up.
The BTTS is the latest addition to the New England Marine Energy Development System (NEMEDS) which is a network of testing facilities located in a 100 mile radius. These test facilities will help tidal energy device designers obtain valuable information that will enable them to scale up and commercialise more efficiently.
Image: BTTS with barge leaving the site after installation
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