Australian tidal energy company MAKO Tidal Turbines has deployed its tidal turbine for testing at the Port of Gladstone in Australia’s north-east state of Queensland.
The six-month trial, conducted in partnership with Gladstone Ports Corporation (GPC), will be aimed at demonstrating how tidal flows at the port can be harnessed to produce clean electricity.
Installed at the Gladstone’s Barney Point Terminal, the MAKO.7 turbine the first one deployed in the world at a working port, according to project developers.
Douglas Hunt , MAKO Tidal Turbines CEO, said: “The demonstration at the Port of Gladstone highlights how successfully an energy source can be tamed through innovation and strong partnerships.
“Projects such as this are instrumental in developing innovative new technologies, and the vision of GPC’s stakeholders and management has been a big factor in the success of the MAKO.”
Commenting on the launch, Peter O’Sullivan , CEO of GPC, noted the tidal energy demonstration is just one element in the corporation’s renewable energy journey.
“2018 has been a breakthrough year for GPC in terms of furthering our investigations around renewable energy. Not only have we started to install solar panels at our sites, but we have also taken advantage of our port surrounds by partnering with MAKO in investigating cost-effective and reliable electricity through tidal energy,“ said O’Sullivan said.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the project is a strong endorsement of the Queensland government’s commitment to its renewable target.
“Initiatives such as this tidal turbine demonstration demonstrate that we are well on the way to achieving our goal of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
“We are thrilled to see a government-owned corporation such as GPC embracing this goal and inspiring other Queensland industries to further their investigations into renewables,“ said Bailey.