Spanish tidal turbine company Magallanes has installed a floating turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland.
The prototype will test Maganalles 1:10 scale model at sea, after the previous pilots in test tank and river conditions.
Alejandro Marquis de Magallanes, managing director said: "This test project allows us to demonstrate the integrity and viability of the concept and its subsystems in a real sea climate, and help inform the construction of our 2MW floating platform to ensure a stable and optimal design.
"One of the most important steps was to discover maintenance needs, as well as gaining operational experience at sea."
Magallanes has been working on the concept since 2007, supported by the Marinet (the Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network) project.
Marinet supports the development of marine renewable energy by offering testing facilities, thus supporting research and development from small models and laboratory tests through to prototype scales and open sea trials.
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By GlobalDataThe trial of the prototype deployed on EMEC’s Shapinsay Sound test site will be followed by the testing of a full-scale prototype.
Currently under construction, the full-scale prototype measures 42m in length and 350t in weight.
Eileen Linklater, EMEC’s client relationship manager said: "There is a cluster of energy, maritime and environmental expertise around EMEC in Orkney, with an experienced supply chain providing support to projects like this.
"Accessible real sea testing allows marine energy developers and suppliers to learn extremely valuable lessons about working in a real sea environment more cheaply."
A partner in Marinet initiative, EMEC offers access to 42 marine testing facilities covering all scales.
Image: Maganalles test turbine installed at EMEC’s test site. Photo: courtesy of Colin Keldie / EMEC.
