This photo shows recent work-in-progress in constructing the 1.5MW tidal turbines being built for the MeyGen baseload-scale electricity generating sub-marine energy parc for installation on the Pentland Firth sea-bed off Caithness.
The state-of-the-art AR1500 tidal turbines will become part of the Scotland’s/ UK’s first commercial tidal stream array.
The AR1500 is owned by Atlantis Resources, with design and manufacturing supported by US engineering giant Lockheed Martin. It will now undergo a rigorous six week pre-commissioning programme at the National Renewable Energy Centre to validate the performance of the turbine’s drive train before being installed in the Pentland Firth later this year.
By putting the turbine together on-shore before subjecting it to final checks, Atlantis Resources has been able to minimise transport costs while demonstrating the team’s ability to quickly put the major components together in-situ.
Drew Blaxland, Director, Turbines & Engineering Services at Atlantis, said: “These photos do a fantastic job of showcasing the AR1500 and how efficiently it can be assembled on-site. We’re extremely proud of this turbine which is a true testament to engineering excellence.
“When launched at MeyGen, the turbine will operate in one of the harshest environments in the world and generate predictable power from the extreme Scottish tides.
“Ease of assembly and transportation was a key factor in the design of the AR1500. It has been purpose-designed for transport in relatively simple to assemble modules making sub-system testing more efficient and cheaper and easier to ship – an approach that we will take into volume production.”
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