McLaughlin & Harvey and SeaRoc are collaborating in order to deliver a mooring system that will enable the deployment of the SR2000 floating tidal turbine at EMEC test site.
The two companies have secured approximately GBP 1 mln in funding for the project that uses anchor drilling technology.
The funding was provided through a grant agreement with Carbon Trust, under the Scottish Government Marine Renewables Commercialisation Fund (MRCF), and Invest Northern Ireland.
Once completed, the project is expected to demonstrate McLaughlin & Harvey’s remotely operated seabed drilling technology.
SeaRoc will develop marine operations strategy using existing marine equipment to secure a platform at sea for McLaughlin & Harvey to deploy their equipment and carry out the drilling works.
The project partners will each make a contribution towards financing the project, and the developer of the SR2000 tidal turbine, Scotrenewables Tidal Power, will provide over GBP 450 000, the press release reads.
Adam Holland , Marine Renewables Manager at McLaughlin & Harvey, said: “Our goal here is to demonstrate a step change reduction in the cost of marine renewable energy installations using conventional, civil engineering techniques to deliver foundations in a novel application.”
Fergus Ewing , Scottish Energy Minister, commented: “The McLaughlin & Harvey and SeaRoc project is perfect example of Government and industry working collaboratively and across borders to develop innovative new concepts that will play a crucial part of cost reduction in the first array projects.”
Nick Murphy , Head of Wave and Tidal Projects at SeaRoc, added: “It is great to be part of this team, which brings together our complementary skills to deliver an integrated design for marine energy projects.”
SeaRoc is a Chichester-based company that provides marine, engineering and construction services for offshore renewable energy projects for the wind, wave and tidal energy sectors.
McLaughlin & Harvey is a Northern Ireland’s company involved in marine renewable energy sector, concerned with deployment of tidal energy devices including foundation installation, cabling and operation, and maintenance.