U.S.-based marine energy company ORPC has contracted Sustainable Marine’s Swift Anchors division to provide its novel rock anchoring system for ORPC’s Advanced TidGen project set to launch in Maine later this year.
Swift Anchors will be among a number of subsystems which ORPC will develop, test and integrate to validate a full TidGen system in a commercial site over 12 months.
The project’s goal is to provide a practical demonstration that it is technically, economically and environmentally viable.
Stuart Davies , chief executive officer of ORPC, said: “We’re excited to use Swift Anchor technology for our Advanced TidGen Project and across ORPC’s scalable technologies for river, tidal and ocean current environments. Their technology offers a promising solution and we’re pleased to include it in our innovative marine energy system design”.
Swift Anchor’s technology has been driven by industry demand for greener, rapidly-deployed and more-cost efficient anchoring solutions for marine applications.
Its rock anchor approach is said to significantly reduce carbon footprint compared to other anchoring systems as well as the environmental impact on the seabed, while driving down logistical costs with rapid installations managed by smaller vessels.
Swift Anchor’s one-tonne steel anchor can provide the same holding force as 750 tons of concrete. Its complete turnkey offering can generate up to 70% in cost savings compared to traditional systems for small arrays, according to Sustainable Marine.
David Ainsworth, Sustainable Marine’s Anchoring Business development manager, added: “Swift Anchors will provide a full turnkey solution for ORPC including front-end engineering design, product supply and complete installation services. Our specialist deployment crew will use our unique subsea drilling equipment and a multicat-type workboat to deliver the project.
“ We see huge potential for our anchoring solutions across America’s burgeoning marine energy sector including floating wind, floating solar, aquaculture and a whole raft of conventional anchoring requirements for other marine industries”.
ORPC’s TidGen is based on the proprietary design of the company’s commercial RivGen, now the longest operating current energy converter in the Americas.
The United States recently announced a 1GW target for marine energy by 2035 and the U.S. Department of Energy considers development of marine energy resources a domestic priority.
The European Union shares similar ambitions to reach 3GW by 2030 and 100GW by 2050.
Marine energy could create 680,000 jobs and save 500 million tons of CO2 emissions globally, according to the International Energy Agency.