World’s largest turbine will drive down the cost of tidal energy

SIMEC Atlantis Energy has unveiled the design for its 2MW tidal-power turbine system, which features the largest and most powerful single-axis turbine on the market.

The AR2000 turbine will be able to accommodate rotor diameters of between 20 and 24 metres, with a speed of 3.05 metres per second and a maximum output of 2MW.

“The AR2000 marks the culmination of 15 years of investment, relentless experimentation, rigorous testing and subsea operation,” said Drew Blaxland, director of turbine and engineering services at the company. “Not only will it be the largest single-rotor turbine in production, it will be the backbone of a highly efficient and cost-effective generation system capable of deployment in each of our key target markets.”

The turbine is offered as part of a complete rotor-to-grid tidal generation system, with an array architecture that allows multiple turbines to be connected in parallel, reducing the cost and impact of the subsea infrastructure.  

The turbine also includes new technology, such as an innovative electro-mechanical pitch system and an upgraded onboard health monitoring and diagnostics system. It is designed to last for 25 years, and uses a quick-connect wet-mate system for rapid and safe deployment.

 “The AR2000 system has been designed to deliver a lower levelised cost of energy and increased reliability,” said Blaxland. “Combining a larger rotor diameter with a drivetrain capable of being daisy-chain linked, optimised redundancy and quick connection, will deliver an offshore generation system that can compete with other comparable sources of renewable generation when deployed at scale.”

It will be available for sale to developers towards the end of 2019.