The phase one of Scottish Enterprise-funded Tidal Array Cabling Solution project has been completed.
The project was launched in December 2013 in order to develop and demonstrate effective methods of locating, securing, protecting and retrieving cables for tidal energy arrays.
Stromness-based Aquatera was awarded a contract to undertake two demonstration projects. The first of these, completed in partnership with subsea engineering and training firm, Jee, involved the construction and deployment of Jee’s ‘U-tube’ cabling protection structure in Orkney.
The Aquatera role involved lifting, moving, positioning and recovering the 50m long Jee cable protection system. Tests of this array cabling solution were carried out at the European Marine Energy Centre’s Shapinsay Sound tidal test site.
Several support companies from Orkney’s marine energy supply chain were also involved in the project, including Green Marine, Scotmarine, Heddle Construction and Orcades Marine.
Aquatera’s Daniel Wise , who managed the operation, said: “The installation, operation and recovery of the Jee Ltd cable protection structure was a unique, interesting and challenging marine operation, one which required meticulous planning and execution, but the barge and other vessels proved to be the ideal solution, with the operation running very smoothly.”
Wise said the second project to test a range of different cable laying configurations would be completed later this year.
In the coming months Jee, alongside Aquatera, will be presenting the results of the trial demonstrations.