Apr 13 2010
Hydra Tidal, a company based at Harstad, has announced its plans of installing a full-fledged tidal energy plant working model at Gimsøystraumen, a marine channel located in Nordland County. The proposed Morild-type floating power plant would remain tied to the seabed and remain beneath the surface of water most of the time. The turbine wing blades required for running the plant are made of laminated pine wood and span 23 diameters.
Svein D. Henriksen, R&D director and founder of the company, has explained that laminated pine wood was chosen for its porous quality and homogenous nature. He added the wood is endowed with better hydrological and mechanical properties than conventionally used materials such as steel. He further explained that wood was chosen for its environment friendly nature and its lifecycle characteristics.
The planned Morild power plant is to be constructed over land before moving it to the location earmarked for operation, for the purpose of installation. Also, the construction and maintenance of such a plant is relatively easier than the one that is permanently stationed to the seabed. The constructed plant also can be easily separated from the seabed and brought to the surface for maintenance and repairs.
The constructed power plant is expected to be placed in a water channel that experiences a maximum of 3.5 knot current and the tide lasts for an estimated six hours and 20 minutes. Initially, the plant is expected to produce 1GWh power annually. A pilot phase of the plant is planned for understanding the technology involved in such a construction rather than focusing on the level of its energy production.
The project is expected to undergo a full-fledged test in the water during the month of June 2010. The concept development incurred a total cost of approximately NOK125 million during the last 10 years. Subsequent to the test phase, the plant is proposed to be transferred to the Moskenesstraumen channel where the maximum current is six knots), facilitating a significant increase in the output.
Henriksen stated that the company’s goal is to team up with corporate bodies in Norway and further this technology so that more jobs are created in the country. However, achieving it is contingent on the availability of feasible avenues for commercializing this technology successfully. According to Henriksen, the funding environment will be highly competitive, making it mandatory for companies to ensure that their technologies are sustainable in the long term.
Although he is a proponent of establishing better commercialisation schemes in Norway, Mr Henriksen believes that funding for development should remain highly competitive.