Today the first BlueTEC Tidal Energy platform was formally named by the Mayor of Texel, the Netherlands. The floating platform, which holds tidal turbines below the sea surface, will soon be positioned near the island of Texel – supplying clean electricity to the Dutch grid, Damen said in its press release.
This first BlueTEC will serve as a demonstration platform targeted at remote locations world-wide, such as islands in Indonesia, Philippines and the Pacific. It is also the start of further devel-opment of higher capacity tidal energy platforms, to be deployed in large farms.
The coming weeks, the platform will be installed offshore the island of Texel and connected to the Dutch electricity grid – starting its electricity production before summer. It is meant to stay there producing elec-tricity for several years, allowing multiple turbines to be tried out.
This platform is targeted at a worldwide market, it can be shipped as containers and installed anywhere in the world, to provide clean electricity in remote areas and small islands, replacing expensive and polluting diesel generators. An important advantage of tidal energy is its predictability and consistency, bringing stability to local electricity grids. As all vulnerable electronic equipment is safely housed inside the unit, with easy access from the surface since it floats, inspection for maintenance and repair purposes is a straightforward matter. This makes it a truly unique product. It is also the first time that a complete, integrated tidal system is offered to the market.
Bluewater Energy Services
Bluewater’s core business is to design, deliver and operate Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) systems and Single Point Mooring (SPM) systems. The New Energy department uses the skills and experience of the core business to develop advanced technology for harvesting clean and sustainable energy, starting with Tidal Energy. Bluewater’s New Energy department is the initiator and leading partner in the development of the BlueTEC Texel Tidal Project. They started in 2009 with the development of the floating BlueTEC concept.
The platform is a development of Damen’s modular barge system – a flexible product that can be put into effect in the construction of a wide range of vessels from dredgers and jetties to ferries and pontoons. Damen used three standard container-sized modules to construct the Texel platform. The efficiency of containerized transportation combined with uncomplicated assembly means that the platform can be trans-ported and installed anywhere in the world.
Damen Shipyards Group
Damen Shipyards Group operates 32 ship- and repair yards, employing 8,000 people worldwide. Damen has built more than 5,000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers approximately 180 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Damen’s role in the Texel tidal energy platform stems from its focus on standardisation and modular con-struction which leads to short delivery times, low ‘total cost of ownership’, high resale value and reliable performance. Furthermore, Damen products are based on thorough R&D and proven technology. “The Texel tidal platform consists of a lot of shipbuilding components and Damen has all the disciplines necessary to put that all together,” says Damen Sales Manager Jelle Meindertsma. “In the future, our series construction will really come to the fore when dealing with tidal generation ‘farms’ with 20 or 30 turbine platforms. There is a lot of potential in the tidal energy market – this prototype is just the beginning.”
Partners in the BlueTEC Texel Tidal Project are as follows: Acta Marine, Tocardo Tidal Turbines, SCHOTTEL HYDRO, TKF, Vryhof Anchors, The Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Nylacast, Tidal Testing Centre, Niron Staal Amsterdam B.V., Port Den Helder and Van Oord.