Tidal Energy Platform to Float Off Dutch Coast

A group of leading offshore companies, including Bluewater, Damen and Van Oord, have joined together to realize a unique floating tidal energy platform, which will be moored near Texel in the Wadden Sea and generate clean electricity from the tides.

The platform is a trial for remote locations worldwide, such as islands in Indonesia, Philippines or the Pacific. It is of an innovative modular design and uses a new type of permanent mooring lines. It will be the first time that a floating tidal platform is used for electricity production into the Dutch grid.  It will be operational in the first half of 2015.

“This platform can be shipped and installed anywhere in the world, to provide clean electricity in remote areas and small islands, replacing expensive and polluting diesel generators,” says Allard van Hoeken, Head of New Energy at Bluewater Energy Services. “This smaller test platform, while ready to use in remote locations, is also a stepping stone for our larger 2MW platform development.”

“Together with Bluewater we have adapted our modular barge product to a modular tidal power generation platform, that can be shipped as containers to any location in the world,” says Arnout Damen, COO of Damen Shipyards.  “After container transport the modules can be assembled to shipbuilding quality vessels.”

The unique cooperation between Bluewater, Damen, Van Oord, Tocardo, TKF, Vryhof, NIOZ, Nylacast and TTC bundles extensive experience in the maritime and offshore industry, in the field of design and operation of mooring platforms, shipbuilding, offshore dredging and installation, tidal turbines, power cables, anchors, research at sea and synthetic materials.

The BlueTEC platform is developed for cost effective installation, operations&maintenance of tidal turbines. BlueTEC floats and can be towed to location without heavy lifting at sea. It accommodates all vulnerable electronics equipment inside the unit, where it is dry and protected, yet allowing for easy access for inspection, maintenance and repair. The platform can be disconnected from the moored location and taken to a local port for heavy repair when needed. With this modular, flexible floating platform the global tidal energy industry reached a new state-of-the-art.

The Texel platform is the small, simple and robust version of BlueTEC. Aimed at remote locations, it consists of container size modules, can be assembled locally and installed without sophisticated equipment. It holds a 200 KW turbine that can power local villages, cooling facilities and provide lighting at schools which will change local economies. It will be the first time that electricity generated from free flowing tidal currents will be supplied to the island of Texel.

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Press release; Image: Bluewater