Oceanflow Development Limited has been successful in winning WATERS-2 (Wave and Tidal Energy R&D Support) funding from Scottish Enterprise for the development of a twin-turbine variant of its floating, tethered Evopod technology.
This latest award follows WATERS 1 funding in 2010 to demonstrate Oceanflow’s mono-turbine device, a quarter scale version of which is currently being constructed by Renfrew-based fabricators Steel Engineering. It will be the first grid connected version of Evopod and will be deployed later in the year in Sanda Sound, South Kintyre.
Graeme Mackie, “This funding support from Scottish Enterprise will help us to take a further step along the staged demonstration of our Evopod semi-submerged turbine technology. It enables us to track the outputs and economics of power generation from a twin-turbine Evopod in the harsh but energetic waters around the Scottish coastline where it has been specifically developed for deployment.
“The beauty of Evopod is that it is easier to install and maintain than devices positioned on the seabed. This menas that it is cheaper to install and to operate and any problems can be quickly and easily addressed.”
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Offshore WIND staff, August 29, 2012; Image: scottish-enterprise