Update BlueTEC tidal platform
In an interview with Allard van Hoeken – Engineer of the Year and Head of New Energy at Bluewater Energy Services – it became clear that the launch of the BlueTEC tidal platform so far has been ‘a great success’.
The platform is already feeding electricity to the Dutch grid. Involved parties have begun to measure real wave and current forces. The purpose is to compare this with the simulations and calculations in order to improve the design for future platforms. The platform is operating in the sea near Texel.
At this moment, the platform houses one Torcado’s T1 100 kW tidal turbine. As soon as the T2 200 kW tidal turbine becomes available, the BlueTEC platform will be towed to the Port of Den Helder. There the T2 turbine will be mounted on the platform. It will then be towed back to Texel, where the anchoring and mooring lines will be reconnected. The goal is to reach a capacity of 400-500 kW per platform so that the same platform can be extended to 2 MW.
Acta Marine’s Coastal Chariot installed the floating BlueTEC platform last June. After towing and hooking up the platform, the DP1 Ultra Shallow Draft Multipurpose Support Vessel attached the platform to the seabed using four Stevpris anchors. Acta Marine has cooperated with Van Oord Offshore during the installation process.
Read the entire interview about the BlueTEC tidal platform here.
On Tuesday October 13th the Texel Tidal Project partners are present at Offshore Energy 2015 exhibition at the RAI Amsterdam. Here the first floating tidal platform producing electricity will be celebrated. You are invited for a reception at the Damen & TKF booth from 4 pm tot 6 pm.
