Prototype Tidal Power Plant Installed Off Scottish Coast
A 150-kilowatt generator powered by tidal streams was recently
installed in about 120 feet of water in Yell Sound in Scotland’s
Shetland Islands. The $2.8 million project marks the world’s
first offshore installation of a full-scale tidal stream power plant.
According to The Engineering Business Ltd., which designed and built
the generator, tests of the generator have produced “significant
power output.”
 The
tidal power generator, called “The Stingray,” features
a 15-meter-long (49-foot) hydroplane mounted on a supporting arm
that pivots on a large support structure. To draw power from passing
tidal streams, a device constantly changes the tilt of the hydroplane,
causing its supporting arm to oscillate. Each oscillation extends
and contracts hydraulic cylinders in the supporting arm, pumping
oil to drive an electric generator.
Yell Sound, a north-facing inlet at the extreme northern tip of
the United Kingdom, is expected to be an excellent site for tidal
flow energy, with spring tide velocities in excess of 5 knots. The
demonstration project is receiving support from the U.K. Department
of Trade and Industry and is expected to operate for one year.
For more information, visit The
Engineering Business’ web site, particularly the “EB
News,” “Renewable Power,” and “Stingray Project”
sections, at http://www.engb.com/.
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