The world’s biggest tidal “kite” has been deployed and it’s so powerful that it can generate enough electricity for a whole small town on its own. Swedish startup energy company Minesto has ambitious plans to take the kite technology to the world and it’s looking like an achievable goal if the early results are anything to go by.
A new endeavor sees tidal energy being harvested by giant underwater kites
Minesto’s striking kite modules are designed to “swim” against the underwater ocean currents, which turn a rotor that generates electricity. Each kite is connected to the ocean floor via a subsea cable that also serves as the conduit to send power to the onshore grid.
Minesto’s biggest kite to date, the Dragon 12, was recently shipped from its manufacturing location in Sweden and installed off the coast of the Faroe Islands. The megawatt-scale tidal energy device has a huge wingspan of 39 feet, about the length of a semi-trailer, and weighs 25 tons. It was scaled up to 12 times the size of the previous 100 kW Dragon 4 model.
The Dragon 12 has the capacity to power an entire town
The expected output of clean electricity added to the Faroe Islands national grid once fully operational is 1.2 MW, which is enough to power around 1,000 homes. According to Minesto, the Dragon 12 is delivering satisfactory generation levels in its first phase of operation. Minesto CEO Martin Edlund expressed his excitement:
“This is a big day for Minesto. We have reached the most significant milestone in the history of the company by producing electricity to the grid with our mega-watt scale powerplant. We are both proud and happy and more than ever look forward to the journey ahead.”
Tidal energy harnessing is an up-and-coming renewable power option
Although the tidal kite technology was pioneered by Minesto, founded in 2007, and refined under its name, the first design came from auto manufacturer Saab. Minesto was awarded €40 million ($41.2 million) from the European Regional Development Fund, which is reportedly the European Union’s largest marine energy investment to date.
The virtually limitless potential of tidal energy for renewable power generation has barely been tapped, and one of the main reasons is the construction of costly vessels or instream turbines that generally have adverse impacts on marine ecosystems. This is minimal with the kite system.
Minesto’s team says that the kite technology’s attractive features are its size, modularity, and scalability. The tidal turbine employs a figure-of-eight motion in the water that’s actually a lot faster than the speed at which the water is moving, which significantly enhances electricity generation compared to other types of tidal energy harnessing.
It’s interesting to note that financial accounting giant Ernst & Young is also supporting Minesto’s technology development, which is a major show of confidence from such a trusted entity.
The next step is scaling the project up to 10 times the capacity
Minesto has plans to scale the Faroe Islands supply up to 120 MW of tidal kite capacity, which would be 40% of the entire archipelago’s demand. To achieve this, they would need to install 100 individual Dragon 12 kites.
Minesto CEO Martin Edlund is positive about the future:
“What the Minesto team has achieved is extraordinary and set a new agenda for renewable energy build-out in many areas of the world. The competitiveness of the Dragon 12 is straight to the point; it’s powerful, cost-effective and feeds predictable electricity to the grid.”
The benefits of tidal electricity generation in the context of renewable energy goals
There are a number of benefits of tidal energy harvesting that make it a strong contender in the context of clean electricity generation:
- Sustainable and renewable: Tidal energy can’t be depleted.
- Low carbon emissions: Tidal power installations involve minimal carbon emissions.
- Energy security: Any form of renewable electricity generation reduces dependence on fossil fuels. Tidal systems contribute to energy independence in coastal regions.
- Economic stimulation: Tidal power installations create jobs in the construction phase, maintenance, and operation, which is beneficial to local economies.
- Predictable: The power output of tidal energy harvesting is predictable according to lunar cycles.
- Energy efficiency: Tidal turbines are able to generate a decent output even at low current speeds.
- Longevity: Tidal plants tend to have long lifespans and incorporate durable designs capable of withstanding harsh environments.
Minesto is also testing its Deep Green technology off the coast of Ireland, which has unlocked applications for another renewable energy source.
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