Characteristics

Scotrenewables Tidal Power launched in 2016 its SR 2000 floating tidal turbine to be tested at the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC) site in the Orkney Islands, Scotland.

This floating tidal turbine has the following characteristics:

  • Full rated power of 2 MW
  • Two 1 MW turbines integrated into the hull. Each turbine is mounted on retractable legs.
  • A 16 m diameter rotor for each turbine
  • 64 meters long floating hull
  • Weight of 550 tons
  • Anchorage system allowing the turbines to take an optimal orientation according to the direction of the tidal current

Innovation

The SR 2000 2MW is the most powerful tidal turbine in the world.

It was also designed with the goal of being the easiest tidal turbine to maintain and repair in the world. The floating nature of this prototype must allow a less expensive installation and maintenance costs than the other turbines currently under test.

This project should be further improved with the “FloTEC” project which aims for the integration of rotors with 20 meters in diameter and composite blades developed as part of the EireComposites project. This new project would increase the annual yield by more than 50%.

Timetable

May 2016

Launch of the production of the SR 2000 floating turbines by the Harland Wolf shipyard in Belfast.

October 2016

First deployment of the turbine on the EMEC site. Then withdral of the tidal turbine for a phase of minor repairs.

March 2017

Towing the tidal turbine at its anchorage area at Haston to the Falls of Warness (Orkney Islands) EMEC test site for anchoring. A multipurpose vessel was used for towing.

April 2017

According to Scotrenewables, SR 2000 reaches full power output of 2MW on April 12, 2017 as a result of phased network connection testing.

Testing continues with analyzes of the hydrodynamic performance of the patented floating turbines, and the power and low cost maintenance of the device.

May 2017

The turbine generated more than 18 MWh over a continuous period of 24 hours.

August 2017

SR 2000 produced 116 MWh in less than a week of continuous generation. This represents 7% of the electricity needs of the Orkney Islands.

November 2017

The tidal turbine has produced more than 1 GWh.

February 2018

The cumulative output of the tidal turbine is 1.5 GWh, after 200 consecutive days of operation since the August 2017 deployment. The production has been continuous despite sea conditions of more than 4 meters in height.

April 2018

The floating tidal turbine exceeds a cumulative production of 2 GWh. According to the company, this performance is the largest production ever achieved by a tidal turbine.

May 2018

The SR 2000 tidal turbine reaches 365 days of production.

August 2018

The tidal turbine has produced the equivalent of the annual electricity needs of 830 British homes. It holds the record for energy produced in Scotland, by all the sectors of the wave and tidal energy of the last ten years.

Scotrenewables Tidal Power has announced the desire to produce a commercial 2MW tidal turbine (SR2-2000) in the year. This business unit will first be tested at the EMEC test site. This will be explored under the “FloTEC” project, with the support of the Horizon 2020 European program .

September 2018

Scotrenewables Tidal Power has started the removal of the SR 2000 turbine from the EMEC test site. The company is now starting the site preparation for the installation, by 2020, of the 2 MW optimized business model: SR2-2000.

Image: SR-2000 tidal turbine (Scotrenewables)

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