UK-based renewable energy consultancy SgurrEnergy has conducted an independent technical and commercial due diligence design review of QED Naval’s Subhub tidal turbine transport, installation and foundation system.
It encompassed a review of analysis reports that had been produced as part of the feasibility and R&D studies supported by Scottish Enterprise.
These include an analysis of all the tank testing results and the calculations of extreme loads, together with an assessment of the assumptions that have been used in scaling up to anticipated loads in larger device iterations, QED Naval informed.
SgurrEnergy has also reviewed the tidal and wave loading numerical modelling reports that were based upon the tank testing campaign. This forms part of QED Naval’s detailed design process of the 1:4 scale technology demonstrator to be tested at Strangford Lough.
The Subhub tidal foundations platform is designed to commission, test, transport, install, and secure a mini array of wave and tidal turbines to the seabed.
The report also reviews the status of the tidal market and makes recommendations for QED Naval’s testing programme to validate the suggested performance and operation of the Subhub.
These include a requirement to provide clear evidence to support the claimed reduction in CAPEX and OPEX costs compared to other transport and installation solutions, to demonstrate the potential increase in power density by accelerating the flow into the turbines, and to consider means of reducing the effects of tidal shear, veer and turbulence on the turbines installed on the Subhub.
QED Naval is an Edinburgh-based naval architecture consultancy focused on the development of marine renewable energy industry and the vessel requirements for deployment of offshore wind, wave and tidal devices.