Aug 30 2010
Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC), engaged in the production of clean electric power by utilizing tidal power, river current and deep water sea current and manufacturer of energy technology products, has declared that its ocean energy testing power plant installed at Cobscook Bay location in Eastport Maine productively produced grid compatible electric power from tidal energy.
ORPC conducted the test by utilizing its patented Turbine Generator Unit (TGU) fixed underneath its sea research and testing vessel, Energy Tide 2 with a maximum power generating capacity of 60 kW. The test results announced by ORPC indicates that most of the times the TGU was used its output met or exceeded the energy production limits for a range of current speeds. The company is planning to use the details obtained from its Beta Power System to reshape the design requirements of its proposed TidGen Power System’s commercial production and installation in Eastport during the last part of 2011. The company is planning to connect the power produced by the new system to the New England power grid by using Bangor Hydro Electric Company system to supply electric power to 50 to 75 houses located in the vicinity.
The new Beta Power System manufactured by ORPC includes a number of technological innovations and advancements such as patented advanced design cross flow turbines, use of 100% composite materials, use of permanent magnet generator, a composite type of support frame and an electronic power system to tune the variable generator output to match the grid requirement. The company is also planning to make use of its three year joint venture with the University of Main for creating reliable standards for environmental monitoring of ocean energy systems, and by utilizing a designed program to monitor the marine environment near the location of the currently set Beta Power System.