RGU News Article Date Posted: 12-Mar-2004 Valid Until: 12-Apr-2004
University Research Team Poised for SNAIL launch
Researchers from RGU are poised to start sea trials of a prototype turbine platform for generating tidal energy that will revolutionise the renewable energy industry. The device, called SNAIL, has been christened “Brian” by its inventor Professor Ian Bryden, a world authority on tidal energy.
Professor Bryden and the project team are currently in Orkney preparing for the launch of SNAIL within the next few weeks. He said, “We are dependent on both the weather and tides but assuming all goes to plan the 20 metre prototype will be launched from Hatston Pier in Orkney soon.”
Tidal currents offer a substantial and predictable source of renewable energy. The Scottish resource alone, if developed effectively, could provide enough electricity to support a population of 15 million.
The SNAIL device will be tested in the Eynhallow Sound in Orkney and when commercially available is expected to exploit the massive energy potential which exists in the Pentland Firth, as well as the smaller tidal sources in sea lochs off the west coast of Scotland and the inter island channels of Orkney and Shetland.
At present the potential to use tidal energy is limited by installation methods for turbines, which require firm attachment to the seabed. This is very expensive and, at present, requires turbines to be placed in water depths greater than 25 m and less than 50 m. The full size SNAIL is a prefabricated tidal device that can be cheaply installed in shallow and deep water. This will significantly increase the number of suitable sites for turbines and reduce installation costs.
In addition, the potential export market for prefabricated tidal current devices which can be installed without specialist hardware, is considerable. Given the potential of the technology to the Scottish economy, the project has received £158,000 from Scottish Enterprise’s Proof of Concept Fund.
Press ReleaseUniversity Research Team Poised for SNAIL launch
