| New innovations


interest and excitement by a range of stakeholders in Indonesia. Our participation in the Sweden-Indonesia Sustainability Partnership (SISP) Energy Alliance on government level further supports the implementation roadmap to build sustainable and affordable electricity generation based on our technology in Indonesia,” said Edlund.. Minesto is a new member of the bilateral program Sweden-Indonesia Sustainability Partnership (SISP) Energy Alliance, and the collaboration agreements signed in December is a first step towards build out of several key interest areas in Indonesia. As the fourth largest country by population and one of the largest ocean territories in the world, Indonesia faces a true challenge in the transition from fossils to affordable and suitable renewables. Indonesia consists of more than 17 000 islands, all relying on fossil energy such as coal and diesel, but also possesses one of the world’s largest tidal and ocean current natural resources. “It is central for Minesto’s commercial roll-out to establish initiatives in the largest markets with respect to the availability of ocean and tidal currents. In these countries, we can make a significant impact on the roadmap towards a true renewable energy mix,” concludes Edlund.


Tidal turbine blades A project aiming to maximise tidal energy generation


has been launched in the presence of Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, at the University of Edinburgh’s FastBlade facility in Scotland, UK. The Princess Royal, who is also Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, visited on 17 January to meet colleagues from the testing facility and partners of the new MAXBlade project. The €10 million project – funded by the European Union and UK Research and Innovation – aims to deliver a range of innovations to improve the performance of tidal turbines and reduce costs. It will investigate the full lifecycle of tidal turbine


blades, from materials, manufacture and operation, to decommissioning and recyclability. The project’s long-term aim is to ensure the European composite sector becomes the international leader in tidal blade manufacture. The project plans to increase the area harnessed by Scottish tidal technology company Orbital Marine Power to generate power – known as the rotor swept area – by 70 percent, to more than 1,000 square metres. MAXBlade will increase the length of the turbine


blades from 10 to 13m – making them the longest of their kind in the world. The team says that boosting blade length will have the single greatest impact on reducing the cost of tidal energy.


Tidal powering innovation


Plans have been unveiled for what could become the world’s first tidal energy- powered container port, capable of handling the largest vessels trading within international markets. Infrastructure developer Centre Port Holdings is working to develop an innovative £2billion scheme in The Wash region of East Anglia in England. The Wash potentially has a 780km2


tidal area for renewable energy production.


This could power the sea container terminal and up to 600,000 homes, with any excess being used to create green hydrogen to help decarbonise the local farming and transport sector. Energy company Centrica is reported to have entered into a strategic partnership with Centre Port and signed an expression of interest for the power. Environmental and technical studies are likely to be underway soon. In addition, this 19km long structure would also provide flood protection


for up to one million people across the countries of Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. The area is not unfamiliar with flooding as storm surges have been a regular occurrence since the 13th century. Most recently, a huge storm surge across the east coast of England in 1953 led


to 300 deaths and 40,000 people being left homeless. In 1993 a North Sea storm surge and high waves led to flooding in the Norfolk Broads. Twenty years later, Boston in Lincolnshire experienced its worst tidal surge flooding since the 1980s which devastated the town centre. It is anticipated that without additional flood protection, climate change may


lead to fiercer tidal surges and flooding. The region currently accounts for one-third of the UK’s vegetable growing industry which could be at risk. Centre Port claims that such flood protection will help to preserve the natural habitats, wading areas and secure the existing ecology of The Wash. However conservation groups have argued that there will be impacts on local wildlife, and that the area is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Centre Port says that the new scheme will also provide over one thousand job opportunities during construction, with hundreds of full-time skilled opportunities afterwards. In addition it aims to engage with local education and universities and utilise apprenticeship opportunities to develop young talent. Other benefits include import and export opportunities with enhanced logistics and rail infrastructure; the development of marinas and desirable waterside developments in The Wash; and opportunities for recreational water activities and tourism.


Modelling by the University of Edinburgh’s Institute


of Energy Systems estimates £40 billion could be generated for the UK economy by harnessing wave and tidal energy. The project will involve a two-year design and development phase, followed by an 18-month build, during which blades will undergo advanced structural testing at FastBlade. The technology will then undergo two years of real-


world testing at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney. Two of Orbital Marine Power’s O2 floating platforms – the world’s most powerful tidal turbines – will each be fitted with four of the newly developed blades.


f Below: Minesto’s Dragon 4 unit


www.waterpowermagazine.com | February 2023 | 19


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