A new experimental tidal turbine is about to be installed in the Northern Ireland waters of Strangford Lough and has the potential of revolutionising the renewable energy industry in the UK. The tidal turbine is called the SeaGen and each one has a capacity to produce 1.2 MW of energy.

When the SeaGen is in place in the tidal race that moves at around 7 knots in and out of the lough, it will generate enough electricity to power up to 1,140 homes.


Artist’s impression of the SeaGen tidal turbine

As opposed to the much talked about Severn Barrage proposal which has just entered a two year feasibility study, constructing, placing and implementing the SeaGen system should prove relatively inexpensive and much less time consuming than a barrage system. Equally, the ecological impact will be significantly less than that of a barrage system which would almost certainly cause major changes to wildlife ecology.

A single SeaGen tidal turbine will be placed in the 500m wide mouth of the lough so that impact on the local wildlife can be monitored. However, it is expected that any impact to marine life will be minimal because the turbine blades simply turn too slowly to damage any animals that may swim nearby.

If the trial period is successful in Strangford Lough then Marine Current Turbines, the firm behind the production of the SeaGen, will begin working with npower on a larger commercial operation. Possible locations considered for commercial application of the SeaGen are the coastal waters off Pentland Firth, in North Scotland, Anglesey in north Wales and the Isle of Wight. Interest in the prototype and its trial application is coming from as far away as Canada and Australia.

For now all eyes will be on the progress of this small step towards what could be the source of 5% or more of Great Britain’s energy supply by 2020.

For a full report on the forthcoming Strangford Lough project go to The Independent.