Some believed that tidal energy generation was an unrealistic
dream. Engineering a turbine to withstand the harsh marine
environment and operate at the seafloor appeared to be a
challenge the world was not ready to meet. But today science
fiction is a reality in the North Sea. An underwater turbine
that is set to be used in Scotland’s first and only consented
tidal power project has successfully completed an initial
testing period in Orkney, and is providing electricity for homes
and businesses on the island of Eday, one of Orkney’s northern
isles. The 1MW power generator was installed last December, in
some of the worst weather conditions Scotland has experienced in
more than a decade, and has since been undergoing a range of
tests in the fast flowing tidal waters around Orkney. The
initial testing period has been very positive with the device
achieving full export power. The test device in Orkney aims to
fully prove that the technology can operate efficiently in
Scotland’s fast flowing tides, that monitorin