EC-OG Ocean Current Energy Conversion Test System Up & Running In Scotland
Scottish subsea technology company EC-OG has announced its ocean current energy conversion system, the Subsea Power Hub, was switched on for the first time this month at a test site in northern Scotland, and is fully operational and performing in line with expectations.
EC-OG announced a week ago that it had turned on its Subsea Power Hub (SPH) at the European Marine Energy Centre’s (EMEC) Shapinsay sound test site in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. The SPH is designed to convert the energy inherent in ocean currents into electricity through the company’s “ground-breaking” turbine system. Specifically, the technology is a delta array of turbines, and each module consists of a turbine, a generator, a battery pack, and electrical conditioning system.
“Although the weather was not on our side, we were still able to successfully complete the installation and commence testing ahead of schedule,” explained Robert Cowman, Engineering Director at EC-OG. “The system is performing very well and I’m pleased at how quickly the results are correlating with the theoretical basis for the test. Having a vertical axis turbine, means that the SPH is operating effectively in these unpredictable, sporadic flow conditions. Thanks go to the EC-OG team as well as those who have helped us at EMEC, Leask Marine, Castle View and Scottish Enterprise.”
EC-OG will now leave the SPH running 100% autonomously over the summer months with wireless data monitoring to determine its performance.
The Shapinsay sound test site is run by the European Marine Energy Centre, the world’s only center designed to provide developers of both wave and tidal energy converters with purpose-built open-sea testing facilities.
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