Sustainable Marine unveils world’s first floating tidal energy array

In February, Sustainable Marine launched its 420kW PLAT-I 6.40, the world’s first floating tidal energy array in Nova Scotia. Constructed by Meteghan, Nova Scotia’s A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd., the tidal energy platform will first undergo commissioning and testing in Grand Passage. It will then be moved to the FORCE (Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy) site as part of the first phase of the Pempa’q In-stream Tidal Energy Project in the Bay of Fundy.

The Pempa’q Instream Tidal Energy project is supported by the Government of Canada with $28.5 million in funding– one of Canada’s largest-ever investments in tidal energy. When complete, tidal energy project will deliver up to nine megawatts of electricity in total to the Nova Scotia grid, enough to supply roughly 3,000 homes, and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17,000 tonnes.

“This tidal technology is the result of a tremendous international effort combining world-class scientific and engineering expertise from our German, Scottish and Canadian teams, and is the culmination of a decade of research and development,” said Jason Hayman CEO of Sustainable Marine. “We are very fortunate to have such strong support from our major shareholders, SCHOTTEL and Scottish Enterprise, the Government of Canada, and a wide range of partners and collaborators.”

The PLAT-I 6.40, designed specifically for the FORCE site, is the latest iteration, building on the company’s previous PLAT-I 4.63 platform, which has undergone rigorous testing since 2017, firstly in Scotland before relocation to Grand Passage, Nova Scotia, in 2018.

As such, the latest version of the array design produces 50% more power than its predecessor, the company says. In addition, the PLAT-I 6.40 only requires two meters of water for launching and towing and is moored with a turret configuration allowing it to align with the tide or the river flow. It has been designed so its easy to install and is accessible for maintenance and servicing, addressing one of the key challenges experienced by earlier tidal energy developers.

“The construction and launch of Sustainable Marine’s floating in-stream tidal technology is a significant milestone for Canada’s marine renewable energy sector,” said Elisa Obermann Executive Director of Marine Renewables Canada. “The project has engaged many local suppliers and offers a sustainable and clean solution for electricity production using a local resource. Projects and innovation like this are central to building Canada’s Blue Economy.”
www.sustainablemarine.com