Tidal energy is abundant, predictable and clean, with a potential global market of 150 to 800 TWh per year, worth up to €40 billion per year. Europe accounts for 75 to 105 TWh of this total, where 105 TWh amounts to 8% of EU electricity generation in 2013 (1,300 TWh/yr).
Low-carbon tidal electricity is currently expensive due to the emerging nature of the sector. The TiPA project demonstrated an innovative Direct Drive Power Take-Off (PTO) solution for tidal energy turbines, with the aim of reducing the lifetime cost of tidal energy by 20% over a conventional PTO. In reality, the project smashed this target, delivering a 29% reduction in lifetime cost of energy. This goal was achieved by increasing the efficiency, reliability and service interval of the turbine - reducing operating cost and downtime and boosting device yield.
The project consortium was led by Nova Innovation, a world-leading tidal energy technology and project developer. Project partners were SKF, Siemens, The University of Edinburgh, Technical University of Delft, Wood Group and the Center for Wind Power Drives RWTH Aachen University.
The overall objectives of the project were all delivered:
• Design and build a high performance, direct drive PTO for a tidal energy turbine - a world-leading PTO solution was delivered by the project team;
• Conduct tests to verify that the PTO works as designed - the PTO successfully passed onshore testing at Aachen University and offshore testing in Scotland;
• Achieve independent verification of the technology - project partner and global engineering leader Wood verified the PTO design and all test results;
• Optimise the PTO design for performance, reliability and survivability - the PTO design was optimised to reflect project findings;
• Exploit, disseminate and communicate the results - results were actively disseminated at conferences, industry events and online to increase awareness and raise investor and market confidence in the emerging tidal energy sector.
The University of Edinburgh led on delivery of a Commercialisation Strategy for exploiting the TiPA PTO in the tidal energy sector and in analogous sectors including wave power and marine propulsion. The project has delivered a step-change in tidal energy technology, which is already being exploited by coordinator Nova Innovation in their next generation tidal turbine.
Successful delivery of the TiPA project brings the tidal energy industry a huge step closer to commercial reality, and contributing to solving Europe's climate and energy challenges.
