March 2011 - Grid connected Tidal Energy device "Evopod"

An important milestone in the development of Oceanflow's Evopod™ technology was reached today with the demonstration of grid connectivity of the Company's small scale trials unit in Strangford Narrows, Northern Ireland using its innovative midwater buoy solution. The output from the floating tethered tidal turbine can now be fed into the domestic mains circuit of the Queen's University Marine Laboratory. Oceanflow's patent protected midwater buoy solution is an essential element in the transmission of power from the free floating, semi-submerged Evopod™ to the subsea power export cable. Performance data from the midwater buoy and its mooring and power export system will assist Oceanflow in the design of its larger 35kW unit to be deployed in Scottish waters later this year.

A detailed seabed survey and environmental impact study for the use of the inshore tidal site was carried out by Marenco Environmental Consultants as part of the permitting process for the Queen's University Belfast test site. The seabed cable linking Evopod™ to the Marine Laboratory was procured from Cortland Fibron and installed by Cuan Rhib Services. Power is exported via a Focal slipring supplied by MacArtney Underwater Technology which is installed within the midwater buoy which was fabricated by William Oliver and Rodman Russell Ltd, North Shields. The Evopod™ turbine coupled to the midwater buoy employs a fixed pitch turbine driving a FuturEnergy permanent magnet generator through a ZF Gearbox supplied by Heason Technology. The power control and data capture system developed in-house by Oceanflow employs a Mastervolt Windmaster inverter drive.

The grid connection of Evopod™ is a landmark event being the first semi-submerged tethered tidal stream turbine to successfully export power to shore. Evopod™ technology has application to the deeper water, harsh environment tidal stream energy sites where the bulk of the UK's tidal resource exists.

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Science & Technology

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