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NUMMER 05 I 23 DECEMBER NEW LIFE FOR THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY


MeyGen: world’s largest project involving tidal energy


Photos: Atlantis Resources


DUESSELDORF In the northernmost waters of Scotland, the world’s largest commercial tidal energy plant arises. When it is ready, the MeyGen project will produce 398 megawatts of power. The installation of four underwater turbines (4 x 1.5 mW) has commenced. In 2020, all 269 turbines should be finished. By that date, the project will provide 170,000 homes with electricity. The project offers new hope for the declining offshore industry in Northern Scotland.


JUDITH STALPERS


Strong winds, turbulent waters, wild shores - and whisky - are the elements that character- ise the north of Scotland. Apart from distilleries and the hightech offshore industry, this rugged region does not have much to offer in terms of employment. And many jobs are in danger as many platforms in the oil and gas industry are closing down and new projects are shelved. Question is whether these will be realised at all, since the exploitation of fossil fuels is under much discussion. No wonder the offshore industry in the rough-and-tumble Highlands is very happy to welcome new clients. One of them is Atlantis Resources, a pioneer in tidal energy. The Scottish company is building its first large-scale tidal energy plant in the waters of Pentland Firth. Aſter eleven years of develop- ment and testing – which also involved environmental effects and the impact on shipping, fish stocks, etcetera – Atlantis Resources has gathered around it a team of investors, engineering companies, and – most


MeyGen turbine


Key figures for the MeyGen Project Surface turbine array Number of turbines Output per turbine Project life


Capacity factor range MWh Guaranteed power price


Film AHH turbines about tidal technology www.hammerfeststrom.com/ media/multimedia/


importantly – consumers. In 2015, the construction activities for the MeyGen project were started up. It was named aſter the Mey region, where the electricity is brought ashore. In this area, the sea-floor has a stable, rocky structure, while the waters are sufficiently deep for the turbines, which have a height of approximately 25 metres, to be installed in such a way that whales, dolphins and ocean-going vessels can freely move around without any risk. Moreover, Mey is within easy access of the national grid.


Underwater turbines The MeyGen tidal energy plant makes use of underwater turbines. These resemble compact wind turbines that are placed on the seabed on tripod constructions. However, their structure is more compact, because the power of water is many times stronger than wind. As a result of this, the turbines have to withstand far more pressure. On the other hand, their yield is much greater too, thanks to the stronger force per square foot. The turbines rotate around their axis, following the movement of the tide. The main chal- lenge involving water turbines is the robust- ness of the technology, since maintenance is very labour-intensive. Each repair requires the turbine to be brought to the surface! This obviously involves high costs. The installation and removal of each turbine is an extremely precise job, which is carried out by the offshore industry. During the first phase, MeyGen will install one turbine, the AR 1500, which was developed in-house in collaboration with Lockheed Martin. The other three turbines originate from the Norwegian company Andro Hydro Hammerfest, AHH, who are the most


experienced manufacturers of underwater turbines in the world.


Horizontal drilling In October of this year, the preparational work was concluded. Because the coastal area where MeyGen is building its onshore infrastructure does not have any beaches where cables could be easily rolled out, tunnels had to be drilled through the rocky surface. This was realised using horizontal drilling technology, like it is also applied in the shale-gas industry. The drillings were concluded in October. In the MeyGen park, each turbine is provided with its own cable connection to the onshore Power Converter Centre. In other words, four cables have been laid, each through their own tunnel. When all goes according to plan, there will be 269 cable connections to the PCC by 2020. For the offshore work, MeyGen has contracted the Scottish platform building James Fisher Marine Services, who will be deploying the Siem Daya 1 to lay the cables on the seabed. This vessel has a hybrid electro-diesel drive and is one of the most environmentally- friendly ships in the sector. Currently, the cable constructions are being sunk and the next challenge - the largest one - will be embarked upon: installation of the turbines. The ballast elements for the tripod construc- tions have already reached Mey harbour. The turbine nacelles and hubs, weighing 22 tons each, are currently being tested in the factory.


EMEC Next to MeyGen, other players are ready to start building tidal plants on an industrial scale in this same Orkney archipelago with its rapid water movements. Thanks to the


European Marine Energy Centre, which has been operational since 2003, this region has become Europe’s breeding ground for sustainable ‘seawater’ energy. The EMEC is a research centre to get tidal and wave energy systems ready to market. That is why companies from all over Europe are using the EMEC test waters to test their inventions. Atlantis Resources and AHH have also tested the prototypes for their turbines in this centre. Pentland Firth, between the mainland and the small island of Stroma, comprises one of the best locations in Europe for the generation of tidal energy. Without pause, the water draws up to 5 metres per second during each tidal movement. Which is very fast indeed. The only factor providing fluctuations is the position of the moon. And this, of course, can be calculated in advance. This calculable continuity ensures that the tidal current is greatly preferable over the fickle sources of wind and solar power. When all goes well, technologically speaking, the tidal plant will be an important source of basic energy in future, replacing coal, gas, and nuclear energy sources. Not only will it be competitive, but it will also provide a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and uranium. We will soon know whether the project is technologically success- ful. In the long term, wave and tidal energy may provide 20 percent of the UK’s electricity needs, Tim Cornelsen, CEO of Atlantic Resources, stated. He calls on politics and engineers to continue along this road. “We have to achieve economy of scale in order to reduce the costs for this form of renewable energy”. The offshore industry obviously supports Cornelsen’s appeal.


Map of MeyGen location www.meygen.com/maps/


3.5 km2 269 x 1.5 mW 4.7 gWh/annum


at least 25 years = length of lease contract sea area


30 – 42 % £ 300 (approx. € 425)


Film AR 1500 turbine www.youtube.com/ watch?v=_sAbCdKKqMM


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