Riding the wave of momentum for tidal power
Tides and tidal currents can be exploited for the sustainable generation of electrical power. Practical tidal energy-generation installations could supply 9 % of the world's present electricity requirements. However, tidal energy conversion presents a complex engineering challenge. Helping to address this problem, a European project, TIDALSENSE, developed a new system for the remote monitoring of tidal energy converters. The 'Demonstration of a condition monitoring system for tidal stream generators' (TIDALSENSE DEMO) project, also funded by the EU, is working to prove the viability of this new system. The TIDALSENSE DEMO project will industrialise the newly developed sensors and carry out sea trials on the new monitoring system. In addition, the project will design tools to validate the system and demonstrate its maintenance procedures in an existing working installation under a range of normal and storm tides. To date, the TIDALSENSE DEMO project has finalised the installation requirements for the new monitoring system. It has also drawn up the functional specifications for each of its components and developed the validation tools necessary for the in-sea demonstration and trials. In the next stage of the project, sea trials will be continued on the new system. On completion, TIDALSENSE DEMO will have moved a novel monitoring system for tidal power-generation devices, developed in Europe, another step closer to full commercialisation. In so doing, it will have made a significant contribution to the necessary move away from fossil fuels towards renewable energies in the EU.
