Alstom’s tidal power turbine device installed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, has now injected over 100 MW of electricity into the grid. This is a milestone in the development of Alstom’s tidal stream device, which follows the earlier connection of the turbine to the grid and the progressive ramp up to full nominal power of 1 MW over the past months.
The latest technical milestone is part of the ReDAPT testing program that aims at demonstrating the performance of the machine in different operational conditions. Thanks to the generation of 100 MW of electricity, it is building confidence in the endurance of the machine, and in its reliability. In addition, with autonomous runs without interruption, the machine has demonstrated its ability to efficiently operate independently.
Tests will continue at Orkney in different operational conditions into 2014, to demonstrate further autonomous running capabilities and efficiency of the turbine while generating electricity to the grid. These testing campaigns will be followed by other tests including deployment in pilot farms before the start of full commercial production.
