The first Dutch floating tidal platform has been formally named by the Mayor of Texel, Francine Giskes, the Netherlands.
BlueTec platform will be installed near the island of Texel in the coming weeks, and connected to the grid.
The platform is expected to start producing electricity before summer, and stay connected for several years, allowing multiple turbines to be tried out.
The first turbine that has been mounted to the platform is Tocardo’s T1 100 kW tidal turbine, that will be subsequently changed with Schottel’s 50 kW turbine.
Allard van Hoeken , Bluewater’s Head of New Energy, said: “It is wonderful to see the Texel tidal energy project come to reality. Today’s ceremony puts us a step closer to our goal of putting an all-in-one tidal energy platform on the market and delivering clean, local and endless energy to the world.”
This platform will serve as a demonstration targeted at remote locations worldwide such as islands in Indonesia, Philippines and the Pacific.
The naming ceremony for the BlueTec floating tidal platform was held at the Port of Den Helder.
The BlueTec Texel tidal project represents a collaboration of Bluewater, Damen/Niron Staal, Van Oord/Acta Marine, NIOZ, Nylacast, Schottel Hydro, Tidal Testing Centre, TKF, Tocardo and Vryhof Anchors.
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Image: Damen