A few days ago tidal power “entered on the market” as the first ever tidal turbine power station was put on the National Grid in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. In a test, the £10million turbine designed by SeaGen was able to power 150 homes and in a few weeks (when it will perform at full speed) it will be able to generate 1.2 megawatts of power which is enough for 1,000 homes.
The tidal turbine works like an underwater windmill and the rotors are powered by tidal flows and Strangford Lough is a perfect place as the stream is one of the fastest in the world. The turbine is situated at 400 meters offshore, it’s connected to the sea floor and it will generate energy for 20 hours per day.
“This is an important milestone for the company and indeed the development of the marine renewable energy sector as a whole. SeaGen, MCT, tidal power and the UK Government’s push for marine renewables all now have real momentum” said Martin Wright, managing director at Marine Current Turbines (MCT).
Although Strangford Lough is a breeding place for seals, the SeaGen turbine won’t pose any threat for them as the rotors only have 10 to 15 revolutions per minute which is very slow therefore the marine wildlife will be safe.
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