Testing has proceeded for what could be the largest ocean power facility on United States waters and initial results are promising, said the project developer Ocean Renewable Power Company.
Ocean Renewable Power’s tests showed that its tidal turbine produced 60 kilowatts of grid-suitable power from the currents of Cobscook Bay in Maine.
The turbine unit will serve as the central component of the Beta Power System power plant being planned in the city of Eastport next year.
The unit was deployed under Ocean Renewable Power’s research and testing vessel to determine its performance under various ocean currents. The company said performance tests revealed that the generating unit exceeded electrical output projections for varied current velocities.
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Ocean Renewable Power’s tidal power plant is planned to be connected to the New England power grid to supply enough electricity to power at least 50 homes.
The power plant will use advanced cross-flow turbines, a permanent magnet generator and a power electric system that transforms the generator’s energy output to grid-suitable electricity.
Ocean Renewable said it will use the performance testing data to further refine the design of its commercial TidGen Power system.
“Proving the efficacy of the Beta Power System and its ability to generate grid-compatible power day in and day out is a huge milestone for America’s ocean energy industry,» said Chris Sauer, president and chief executive of Ocean Renewable Power.
Additionally, the University of Maine partnered with Ocean Renewable Power to observe the ecological balance of marine life around the Beta Power System in an effort to establish an environmental monitoring standard for ocean energy systems, still an emerging renewable energy category.
«Development of alternative energy sources must consider the natural environment. We take this very seriously, and we are working closely with Ocean Renewable Power to understand the dynamics of the marine life where tidal power will be generated,» said Dr. Gayle Zydlewski Ph.D., head of the university research team.
