HPG’s innovative vertical axis turbine has commenced grid connected power generation at the SEENEOH test site in Bordeaux, France. This is their first turbine to be deployed in Europe. With previous testing having taken place in North America on fixed spanning structures.
The 25kW turbine, on its own floating platform was assembled and launched at the Port of Bordeaux and is now installed and connected to the electricity grid at the SEENEOH test site.
The project is a collaboration between HPG, SEENEOH (including its four shareholders, Energie de la Lune, CERENIS, VALOREM/Valemo and SEML Route des lasers); EVIAA, Balineau and Grand Port Maritime de Bordeaux, as well as HPG’s proven supply chain partners.
The deployment has been supported by the European Regional Program Blue-GIFT.
Over the next few months HPG will demonstrate this commercial version of the turbine, at the site in Bordeaux. Trials will also incorporate new advanced control systems and a novel generator from the University of Edinburgh.
Rick Rutherford from HPG said, “This project is a major springboard for us in our journey to commercial projects. It has been a real success so far and we would like to thank all our partners for their incredible support”.
Marc Lafosse from SEENEOH said “The beginning of the tests has seen a very promising test campaign in Bordeaux. We are very happy to support the demonstration of HPG’s first turbine deployed in Europe, by providing our expertise. It is good to see how HPG and SEENEOH are making the most of this collaboration”.
HPG is now entering into the commercialization phase, working closely with dedicated supply chain partners. Sixteen of these high efficiency turbines have been constructed and the company is now actively seeking project partners to jointly develop commercial projects with.
Notes:
HPG is the owner of a complete hydrokinetic power solution consisting of simple, low-cost, vertical axis hydrokinetic turbines that convert the kinetic energy in moving water into electricity. Our versatile 10 and 25kW turbines are designed for deployment in rivers, canals and shallow water, tidal sites. https://www.hpgs.eu/
SEENEOH Bordeaux is an estuarian tidal energy test site, located in the centre of the Bordeaux, at the foot of the Stone Bridge. It is the result of the collaboration between the 4 shareholders, Energie de la lune, CERENIS, VALOREM/Valemo and SEML Route des Lasers; combining their expertise to provide support to tidal turbine demonstrations in their consented test site. After hosting the demonstration of the 80-kW turbine of HydroQuest in 2017 and the 25-kW turbine of DesignPro in 2018, HPG’s turbine is the third device to be deployed at the site. https://seeneoh.com/
The Blue-GIFT project is a €2.5 million European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) project that aims to help Atlantic Area companies test the next generation of marine renewable energy (MRE) technology in real marine environments. HPG is one of the 10 developers of MRE technologies selected through the project and provided with support to deploy their devices in one of the 7 Atlantic Area test sites (all of which are partners in the project). Under the Blue-GIFT project, HPG’s device is the second turbine to be demonstrated in SEENEOH, Bordeaux and the 6th MRE device to be deployed under the project. https://bluegift.eu/