Magallanes Renovables

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Magallanes Renovables, S.L.
IndustryTidal turbines
Founded2009
FounderAlejandro Marqués de Magallanes
Subsidiaries Magallanes Tidal Energy Ltd.

Magallanes Renovables, S.L. is a Spanish developer of floating tidal stream energy devices, set up in 2009. [1] The company's head office is in Redondela, Galicia, with a UK subsidiary Magallanes Tidal Energy Ltd. based in Kirkwall.

Contents

They have tested their concept at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland at small scale in 2014, and at full-scale since 2019.

In 2022, they were amongst the first tidal stream developers to be awarded market support for commercial projects in the UK, under the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme.

Device concept

Main characteristics of the full-size prototype. [2]
NameATIR
Rated power1500 kW
Weight350 t
Dimensions

(length/breadth/draft)

45 m / 6 m / 25 m
Rotors2 (counter-rotating)
Rotor diameter & separation19 m, 1 diameter
Rotor rated speed17 rpm
Pitchvariable (0° to 270°)
Gearbox ratio98
Generators2 × 850 kW @ 690 V
Generators rated speed1600 rpm
Converters2 × 900 kW AC/AC

The Magalanes ATIR is a floating platform, like a ship's hull, which is moored in place by lines at the bow and stern. [3] Under the water, about 15 metres (50 ft) below the hull, two three-bladed counter-rotating turbines are mounted at either end of a common driveshaft. These power the generators, which capture the energy of the tides flowing past. [4] The design of the platform is modular, to make construction easier and cheaper. [5]

The hull is symmetrical fore-aft, and both rotors are variable pitch, allowing the device to capture both the ebb and flood tide directions without being moved. The counter-rotating design improves efficiency, as the aft turbine captures some more energy from the slipstream of the first turbine, it also helps balance the torque reaction. [2]

The novel device has been built using methodologies and experience from other related sectors, including naval architecture, offshore wind power, oil & gas. [5] The design of the platform allows for access to the machinery during operation, without the need to disconnect the turbine. [5]

The ATIR 2.0 device design has been certified with a "Basic Design Assessment" by Bureau Veritas. [6] [7]

History

The company was founded in 2009 by Alejandro Marques de Magallanes. [5]

In 2013–2014, a small-scale version of the ATIR device was tested at the EMEC nursery test site in Shapinsay Sound, although this was not grid-connected. [8] The sea trials commences on 28 November 2013. The device was 1:10 scale, 6 metres (20 ft) long and 2.3 m (7.5 ft) wide, with a three-hull Trimaran design, [9] however subsequent versions only have a single hull. The project reportedly cost 1.2m$US (about £0.73m, €0.89), funded through the European Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network (Marinet) project, government agencies in Spain, and private investors. [9]

ATIR testing at EMEC

In 2019, the 1.5 MW [note 1] ATIR device was deployed at the EMEC Fall of Warness site, near the island of Eday. [10] It was deployed in February and connected to the electricity grid in March 2019, generating power shortly after. [11] [12]

This device has two 19 m (62 ft) diameter rotors mounted below a 45 m (148 ft) long hull. [2] [13]

The device was constructed in Spain in the Ria de Vigo and launched in 2017 followed by a period of tow testing in Vigo bay. More than 20 tests were carried out in seven towing operations. The device generated up to 450 kW, limited by the power of the tug. [3] It was then towed to Orkney in September 2018, after which it was installed and tested at EMEC. In 2020, the device was towed to Edinburgh for maintenance in the Imperial Dry Dock at the Port of Leith, before returning to site in April 2021. To enter the dock, the device had to be tipped onto its side using buoys. [14] [8]

The testing at EMEC was initially funded through the European OCEAN_2G project (Second Generation technologies in ocean Energy) coordinated by SAGRES SL, the parent company of Magallanes Renovables. [3] [15] Further funding through the Interreg OceanDEMO and the MaRINET2 projects allowed the testing to be extended beyond the initial two years. [8] [10]

First commercial projects

Magallanes Tidal Energy has been awarded Contracts for Difference (CfD) in Allocation Rounds AR4–AR6 to supply subsidised electricity to the GB National Grid for several projects. These include a farm of six turbines at Morlais, North Wales, and three more at EMEC in Orkney, Scotland, as shown in the table below. [5] [16]

These will use the second-generation ATIR 2.0 device, which Magallanes completed the engineering design of in 2023. [17]

CfD Allocation RoundLocationTotal Capacity (MW)Delivery YearStrike Price (£/MWh)Ref.
AR4, July 2022 Morlais 5.622025/26178.54 [18]
AR5, September 2023Morlais3.02027/28198.00 [19]
EMEC1.5
AR6, September 2024EMEC3.02028/29172.00 [20]

Future plans

Magallanes hope to install their devices in other locations, including Spain, noting that the Strait of Gibraltar has significant potential. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tidal power</span> Technology to convert the energy from tides into useful forms of power

Tidal power or tidal energy is harnessed by converting energy from tides into useful forms of power, mainly electricity using various methods.

Wave Dragon is a concept wave energy converter of the overtopping type, developed by the Danish company Wave Dragon Aps. Incoming waves flow up a ramp into a reservoir, the water the drains back to sea level though a hydro-electric turbine, generating electricity. "Reflector arms" are used to focus incoming waves, to channel the waves towards the ramp, increasing the energy captured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelamis Wave Energy Converter</span>

The Pelamis Wave Energy Converter was a technology that used the motion of ocean surface waves to create electricity. The machine was made up of connected sections which flex and bend as waves pass; it is this motion which is used to generate electricity.

An OE Buoy or Ocean Energy Buoy is a floating wave power device that uses an Oscillating Water Column design. It is being developed by Irish company Ocean Energy Ltd., based in Cork, in collaboration with the Hydraulics and Maritime Research Centre at University College Cork, Queen's University Belfast, and Marine Institute Ireland.

Verdant Power, Inc is a maker and installer of tidal power and hydroelectric systems. Their primary device is an underwater turbine, similar to a three-bladed wind turbine, that is designed to capture energy from tidal currents and (precipitation-driven) river currents. The company uses the trade term "kinetic hydropower" to distinguish their systems from those based on dam construction. The company's first project, the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy Project, is several turbines in New York City's East River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Marine Energy Centre</span>

The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) Ltd. is a UKAS accredited test and research centre focused on wave and tidal power development, based in the Orkney Islands, UK. The centre provides developers with the opportunity to test full-scale grid-connected prototype devices in wave and tidal conditions, at pre-consented test sites. EMEC also has sites for testing smaller-scale prototypes in more sheltered conditions.

The Oyster was a hydro-electric wave energy device that used the motion of ocean waves to generate electricity. It was made up of a Power Connector Frame (PCF), which is bolted to the seabed, and a Power Capture Unit (PCU). The PCU is a hinged buoyant flap that moves back and forth with movement of the waves. The movement of the flap drives two hydraulic pistons that feed high-pressured water to an onshore hydro-electric turbine, which drives a generator to make electricity. Oyster was stationed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) at its Billia Croo site in Orkney, Scotland until the company ceased trading in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine energy</span> Energy available from oceans

Marine energy or marine power refers to the energy carried by ocean waves, tides, salinity, and ocean temperature differences. The movement of water in the world's oceans creates a vast store of kinetic energy, or energy in motion. Some of this energy can be harnessed to generate electricity to power homes, transport and industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tidal farm</span> Group of tidal stream generators used for production of electric power

A tidal farm is a group of tidal stream generators used for production of electric power. The potential of tidal farms is limited by the number of suitable sites across the globe as there are niche requirements to make a tidal farm cost effective and environmentally conscious.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tidal stream generator</span> Type of tidal power generation technology

A tidal stream generator, often referred to as a tidal energy converter (TEC), is a machine that extracts energy from moving masses of water, in particular tides, although the term is often used in reference to machines designed to extract energy from the run of a river or tidal estuarine sites. Certain types of these machines function very much like underwater wind turbines and are thus often referred to as tidal turbines. They were first conceived in the 1970s during the oil crisis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orbital O2</span> Orbital O2 floating tidal stream turbine

Orbital Marine Power is a Scottish renewable energy company focused on the development and global deployment of its pioneering floating turbine technology. The O2 is Orbital's first commercial turbine and represents the culmination of more than 15 years of world leading product development in the UK. The 74 m long turbine is expected to operate in the waters off Orkney for the next 15–20 years with the capacity to meet the annual electricity demand of around 2,000 UK homes with clean, predictable power from the fast-flowing waters while offsetting approximately 2,200 tonnes of CO2 production per year. In a further ground-breaking element of the project, the O2 will provide power to the European Marine Energy Centre's onshore electrolyser to generate green hydrogen that will be used to demonstrate decarbonisation of wider energy requirements.

Morlais is a grid connected tidal stream energy project located in the Irish Sea just off the west coast of Holy Island, Anglesey, Wales. It is being developed by the social enterprise agency Menter Môn. The site has the potential for up to 240 MW of renewable energy to be harnessed from the tides, using a mixture of seabed mounted and floating tidal energy devices from different companies.

Nova Innovation Ltd is a Scottish developer of tidal stream turbines, based in Leith, Edinburgh. They deployed their first 30 kW turbine in 2014. Since then, they have developed and tested a 100 kW seabed mounded two-bladed horizontal-axis tidal stream turbine, and plan to scale this up in future. Up to six of these turbines have been deployed simultaneously in the Bluemull Sound, Shetland since 2016.

Many tidal stream generators have been developed over the years to harness the power of tidal currents flowing around coastlines. These are also called tidal stream turbines (TST), tidal energy converters (TEC), or marine hydro-kinetic (MHK) generation. These turbines operate on a similar principle to wind turbines, but are designed to work in a fluid approximately 800 times more dense than air which is moving at a slower velocity. Note that tidal barrages or lagoons operate on a different principle, generating power by impounding the rising and falling tide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OpenHydro</span> Defunct Irish turbine developer company

OpenHydro Group Ltd was an Irish developer of tidal stream turbines, established in 2004. It was acquired by Naval Energies in 2013, however, Naval Energies decided in July 2018 to stop developing tidal turbines and focus on floating wind turbines. The company subsequently went into liquidation with debts of about €280m.

CorPower Ocean AB is a wave energy device developer, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. They also have offices in Oslo, Viana do Castelo, and Stromness. The office in Viana do Castelo is an R&D centre that also serves as the manufacturing and service centre for the wave energy converters (WEC).

Contracts for Difference (CfD) are the main market support mechanism for low carbon generation in the UK. The scheme replaced the Renewables Obligation which closed to new generation in March 2017. It is administered by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), which is owned by the UK Government.

AWS Ocean Energy Ltd is a Scottish wave energy device developer, based in Dochfour near Inverness, Highland. The company has developed and tested several concepts, primarily the Archimedes Waveswing (AWS) after which the company is named.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wello Penguin</span> Wave power device

The Penguin is a wave energy converter (WEC) which was developed by Finnish company Wello Oy between 2008 and 2023. Two full-scale device were constructed, and tested in Scotland and Spain respectively, although both tests ended in difficulties.

References

  1. ↑ "Magallanes Renovables: Unlocking energy from tidal power". Magallanes Renovables. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Díaz-Dorado, Eloy; Carrillo, Camilo; Cidras, Jose; Román, David; Grande, Javier (21 January 2021). "Performance evaluation and modelling of the Atir marine current turbine". IET Renewable Power Generation. 15 (4): 821–838. Bibcode:2021IRPG...15..821D. doi: 10.1049/rpg2.12071 . ISSN   1752-1416.
  3. 1 2 3 "Magallanes' floating tidal turbine on its way to Orkney". Offshore Energy. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  4. ↑ "Tidal energy pioneers see vast potential in ocean currents' ebb and flow". NBC News. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Beatriz, Miranda (27 June 2024). "Entrevista a Magallanes Renovables" [Interview with Magallanes Renovables]. Interempresas (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  6. ↑ Passover, Alejandra (4 March 2024). "La gallega Magallanes Renovables levantará en la costa de Gales el primer parque mareomotriz del mundo" [Galician Magallanes Renovables will build the first tidal park in the world on the coast of Wales]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  7. ↑ "Magallanes Renovables obtiene la certificación del diseño de su plataforma de energía mareomotriz" [Magallanes Renovables gets certification of design for its tidal energy platform]. Forbes España (in Spanish). 18 March 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 Marthinsen, Stig. "Magallanes reinstall ATIR tidal turbine at EMEC, Interreg VB North Sea Region Programme". northsearegion.eu. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  9. 1 2 "Spain enters commercialization of tidal energy with US$1.2 million ATIR prototype". Hydro Review. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  10. 1 2 Davidson, John (27 February 2020). "Bright future on Horizon for ocean pioneers". Inverness Courier. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  11. ↑ "Magallanes tidal power project sends first electricity to UK power grid". Power Engineering. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  12. ↑ IEA-OES (March 2020). Annual Report. An overview of ocean energy activities in 2019 (Report). The Executive Committee of Ocean Energy Systems. p. 126.
  13. ↑ "Magallanes Renovables ATIR at EMEC | Tethys". tethys.pnnl.gov. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  14. ↑ "Magallanes tidal unit reinstalled at EMEC". ReNEWS.biz. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  15. ↑ "Second Generation technologies in ocean Energy | OCEAN_2G Project | Fact Sheet | H2020". CORDIS. European Commission. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  16. ↑ Perry, Mathew (4 September 2024). "AR6 delivers six tidal stream projects with UK pipeline 'confidently growing'". Energy Voice. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  17. ↑ IEA-OES (February 2024). Annual Report. An overview of ocean energy activities in 2023 (Report). The Executive Committee of IEA Ocean Energy Systems. pp. 23, 200.
  18. ↑ "Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 4: results". GOV.UK. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  19. ↑ "Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 5: results". GOV.UK. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  20. ↑ "Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 6: results". GOV.UK. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  1. ↑ Some sources quote the rated power as 1.7 MW or 2.0 MW
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