Hydro-power for Northern Ireland

A hydro-turbine that will produce commercial amounts of electricity is to be installed off the coast of Northern Ireland next month. The turbine will be the first in the world to produce commercially viable levels of electricity.

In 2007, plans to install the SeaGen turbine in Strangford Lough were held up because the company behind the plan couldn’t find a suitable vehicle to put the turbine in place.

However, the BBC has now reported that the SeaGen makers, Marine Current Turbines, have managed to get their hands on a crane barge at the end of March.

When working at full capacity, the turbine will generate 1.2 megawatts of electricity, almost four times as much as any existing tidal turbine.

MCT’s managing director, Martin Wright, has said that there is extensive interest in the project. His hope is that the scheme acts as a catalyst to new energy generation ideas.

In a BBC interview, Wright said: “We have carried out extensive engineering and environmental studies to ensure the very best means of installation and operation.

“As long as the weather is good and there are no last minute operational issues to contend with, we should have SeaGen deployed by the end of March.”

MCT have ensured that the turbine is wildlife safe by making sure that it only turns at slow speeds.