Oceanflow uses Siemens Technology for Tidal Turbine
- Siemens Leeds provides gear unit and inverter for tidal specialist
- UK-developed, world-leading technology
Siemens gear units from Leeds are being featured in a new tidal turbine to be situated off the South Kintyre peninsula in Scotland.
Oceanflow Energy’s Evopod is a semi-submersible turbine which incorporates Siemens gear and inverter units. As a floating, tethered device, it has lower installation costs than seabed mounted devices, and it is claimed to impose less disturbance on sensitive seabed ecosystems.
Scale models of the turbine have been extensively tested in the North East and it has been designed to operate in exposed sites where severe wind and waves make up the environment. At full size the Evopod should generate enough power for up to 800 homes.
Siemens mechanical tidal engineer Des Walsh said Siemens was able to provide the complete concept for a turbine based on Oceanflow’s innovative design.
The reassurance of significant product support and a local supply chain provided by Siemens was also a major factor in the selection of the Siemens unit.
Oceanflow, based in North Shields, is the first company to go through the complete process of permitting and leasing a grid connected tidal site for a commercial project in Scotland and it plans to install the unit later this year. The company is already planning a new twin turbine design which will use the same modular gearbox/generator and inverters as the mono-turbine unit.
PHOTO-CAPTION: The Oceanflow Evopod unit, powered by Siemens
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Siemens was established in the United Kingdom170 years ago and now employs around 13,520 people in the UK. Last year’s revenues were £3.2 billion*. As a leading global engineering and technology services company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key sectors of energy, industry, infrastructure & cities and healthcare. Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.uk
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