Tech Trail

This year’s Ocean Energy Europe Conference & Exhibition will once again feature a Tech Trail, an exhibition of real ocean energy machines and machine parts.

The Trail will feature technology from OEE members: Orbital Marine Power’s SR-2000 blade, Schottel Marine Technologies’ Swift Anchor, Nova’s 30 tidal turbine blade, HydroWing‘s tidal turbine, SKF‘s fully integrated power train mode and HydroQuest’s OceanQuest demo turbine. 

Wish to be included in the Tech Trail? Contact us for more information on how to feature your technology.

Tidal power generates energy from the movement of tides and currents.

Nova is a world-leading marine energy company delivering clean, predictable, cost competitive electricity.

The Nova 30 tidal turbine was installed in 2014 in Bluemull Sound, between the Shetland islands of Unst and Yell. The turbine supplied clean, predictable electricity to the local harbour.

The Nova 30 prototype was decommissioned in 2016 but paved the way for the development of the world’s first off-shore tidal farm that same year.

Orbital Marine Power is a Scottish renewable energy company focused on the development and global deployment of its pioneering floating turbine technology that can supply predictable, clean energy from the world’s tidal streams and ocean currents, every day, regardless of the weather.

The tech trail will feature one of the four blades from Orbital’s SR2000, which was launched and went into operation in 2016, connected to the UK grid through the European Marine Energy Centre test facility in Orkney. The SR2000 had two 1MW-rated powertrains and was driven by a two-bladed rotor which was stall regulated. With an overall power rating of 2MW, it became the world’s most powerful tidal stream turbine. The SR2000 was safely decommissioned in 2018 with the 600 tonne turbine being recovered onshore for recycling. The SR2000 made way for Orbital’s commercial demonstrator unit, the O2, also rated at 2MW of peak power. The O2 was launched and went into operation, at the same site as SR2000, in 2021.

SCHOTTEL Marine Technologies‘ Swift Anchors are a type of system that utilises the load bearing capacity of rock. The solution opens up previously disregarded or challenging sites with rock seabeds where traditional anchor types cannot be adopted or are not cost-effective. Unlike traditional drilled anchor piles that require the use of grout to secure them in place, Swift Anchors rely on mechanical interlock between the anchor and the surrounding rock to provide stability. The harder the rock, the better the Swift Anchor works, leading to a stronger, more efficient load capacity of the Swift Anchor solution.

One of the main advantages of the Swift Anchors technology is the ability to install much faster than traditional drilled and grouted anchors. Swift Anchors can be installed in just a single over boarding of the equipment and withstand load immediately upon installation. They also require fewer materials, smaller installation vessels and labour, which help to reduce overall project costs. Additionally, Swift Anchors are more environmentally friendly than traditional drilled and grouted solutions and can be fully decommissioned by just reversing the installation process.

This a full-scale model of the Tocardo T1 turbine.

Tocardo turbine technology harnesses the power of the tides to create cleaner, greener energy. Renowned for simplicity, robustness and reliability, Tocardo turbines have achieved 90-100% availability across their projects.

Building on insights from previous successful tidal energy deployments, Tocardo turbines (jointly owned by Inyanga Marine Energy Group; and QED Naval) have developed an improved  T3 turbine iteration. This T3 Turbine features an innovative passive pitch mechanism that allows for the installation of larger blades to capture more flow and increase the turbine’s energy yield. 

The first Tocardo T3 turbines will be installed at the Morlais tidal site, the largest tidal stream project in Wales; paving the way for development of further tidal energy sites, helping to create a cleaner, greener future.

The OceanQuest turbine, developed and optimized by HydroQuest over 15 years, is designed to withstand harsh tidal conditions, operating efficiently in high-speed, turbulent currents like those at Le Raz Blanchard, France. It features no active components, such as pitch or yaw systems, reducing maintenance needs. Its unique square shape allows for high power output while leaving space above for vessels. A 1MW prototype was successfully demonstrated in Brittany between 2019 and 2021, achieving a remarkable 100% availability. Based on this success, the second-generation 2.8MW model offers increased efficiency and reliability, with a lighter design to simplify deployment and reduce operational costs.

In 2027, six OceanQuest turbines will be installed as part of the Flowatt project, a 17MW tidal farm at Le Raz Blanchard, which will operate for 20 years. HydroQuest aims to continue maturing and demonstrating subsea tidal energy technology, positioning the OceanQuest turbine competitively in the expanding global tidal energy market.

SKF will present a 1:8 scaled dynamic model of the SKF fully integrated powertrain for advanced tidal stream turbine projects.

With decades of experience in the wind, marine, hydroelectric, and offshore industries, SKF leverages its technical expertise and innovative capabilities to tackle ocean energy challenges.

As a turnkey supplier for tidal turbine manufacturers, SKF integrates solutions to create multi-platform, holistic systems tailored to specific technical requirements, enabling the generation of competitive and clean electricity from tidal forces.

Wave and tidal energy are set to play a crucial role in the future sustainable energy mix. SKF is uniquely positioned to contribute to this exciting journey, from prototype testing to commercial large-scale array deployment.

Innovation for a Better Tomorrow