The Irish company DesignPro Renewables, together with Leask Marine Ltd, have successfully completed testing of their 60KW turbine, the DPR60, in the Orkney Islands off the Scottish coast. The company will now move on to develop the prototype at a commercial level.
The DPR60 platform is an end-to-end hydrokinetic energy solution suitable for deployment in sheltered water with mean wave heights of 1 metre. Mechanical design allows for raising the turbines for mechanical maintenance and all turbine parts are accessible from the platform itself. These unique turbines act as an ideal clean alternative to 60kW diesel generators in remote and island communities. The system stands out due to the predictability, its ability to provide baseload power and its ability to generate more electricity in lower flows thanks to its patented bluff body concept.
“Our 60kW device can provide a clean, independent and predictable supply of electricity to these users, removing the burden and constant drain of funds spent on polluting diesel fuel. This will improve the quality of life and create a positive change”, added Roisin Mc Cormack, Sales and Marketing Manager at DesignPro Renewables.
The rotation direction of the device is adjusted so that objects are diverted away from, and outside, the turbines. This key feature significantly mitigates the risk of injury to marine life, the impact of debris on the turbines and any danger to users or damage to the turbines themselves.
Leask Marine Ltd, a marine construction and engineering company with offices in both Ireland and the UK, won the tender for the design and build of DesignPro’s 60kW unit. Along with the design and fabrication work, they also led the initiative to test the device in Kirkwall.
“We are delighted to have been entrusted by DesignPro Renewables to receive the prestigious project award of designing & building this 60kW HydroKinetic turbine platform. This has been the first order through our new business unit in the Republic of Ireland”, said Douglas Leask, managing director at Leask Marine Ltd.
The European Innovation Council has funded the DesignPro Renewables project and this 60kW testing. Following the successful completion of the Phase 1 project, the company secured the Phase 2 funding. The total Phase 2 grant is 1.934.657M€ and run for a total of 33 months until end of March 2020.
DISCLAIMER: This information is provided in the interest of knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission, or any other organisation.