Atlantis tests tidal turbine
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Global marine energy firm, Atlantis Resources, has tested the world’s largest rotor diameter tidal turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.
The AK-1000 tidal turbine has been designed for harsh marine environments and features rotors that are 18m in diameter.
According to the group, these blades will be capable of generating 1MW of power in a 2.6m/s tidal current, which is said to be sufficient to power more than 1,000 homes.
Atlantis has agreed a commercial-scale deployment of the technology at the EMEC in the summer of 2010. It has also agreed to build a local supply chain, with manufacturing, installation, operations and maintenance being conducted in the UK and supporting around 100 jobs.
Mike Smith, chief operating officer of Atlantis, said: ‘AK-1000 will be the most efficient turbine with the largest rotor diameter ever to be deployed. Its 18m sweep is the height of a typical five-storey building. But we’ve balanced power and efficiency with long-term reliability, an essential ingredient for a harsh environment turbine.
‘This announcement reiterates our commitment to the UK marine power market. By trialling at EMEC, we will ensure that the AK-1000 is ideally suited for use in UK waters and is visible to the UK supply chain. The deployment will also provide a huge boost to the local economy, as we begin a phased roll-out here.’
Neil Kermode, managing director of EMEC, added: ‘We are very pleased to welcome Atlantis to EMEC, further demonstrating our ability to draw in the biggest developers in the industry. EMEC is now attracting developers with commercial-scale turbines to test, entering a new phase for the company and delivering on our mandate to accelerate marine energy deployment.’
