Sustainable Marine Energy (SME) has completed its first round of sea trials with its tidal energy platform, PLAT-O.
PLAT-O was launched from the company’s facility in Venture Quays, East Cowes, Isle of Wight and towed to the test site at Yarmouth. Once at the site PLAT-O was submerged to installation depth and series of tests were run. PLAT-O was resurfaced and towed back to East Cowes, where it will be prepared for its next series of trials.
Jason Hayman , Managing Director of SME, says: “After this weekend’s operations I am confident that PLAT-O provides the industry with a new approach which reduces the costs and risks associated with delivering tidal energy considerably. Over the next few months we will be ramping up the time that PLAT-O spends at site, and running a series of tests which will culminate in the installation of PLAT-O at a more aggressive tidal site and generating power to the grid.”
The marine operations were performed using small vessels resulting in the reduction of the cost of installing tidal energy devices. SME believes that the results of the sea trials demonstrate the potential for tidal streams to provide a commercially viable source of renewable energy.
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Press Release; Image: Sustainable Marine Energy Ltd