Inyanga Marine Energy Group has unveiled the design blueprint for its HydroWing tidal energy technology, which is due to be deployed at Morlais, Wales.
Cornwall-based Inyanga said in a December 16 announcement that the tidal energy array at Morlais would consist of 20 HydroWing units.
The design would incorporate the Tocardo T3 turbine for the first time, and each of the 20 units would be powered by two T3 turbines.
The capacity of the Morlais tidal energy project is 20MW, thanks to contracts for difference (CfDs) of 10MW each awarded during the last two government allocation rounds (ARs), AR5 and AR6.
Inyanga said in its latest announcement that a demonstration project would be launched at Morlais in 2025.
“The patented HydroWing design includes a number of innovative features, which together represent a step change in tidal energy design, increasing energy yield and reducing costs,” stated Inyanga CEO Richard Parkinson.
“The ‘all in one’ HydroWing system is based on a modular approach, which dramatically reduces capex and installation costs.”
Parkinson went on to say that the modular substructure would come in road haulable sections that could be rapidly assembled quayside.
The T3 turbines can also be easily transported and installed, he continued, in contrast with the large turbines that would typically be used for such a project.
Parkinson also pointed to the fact that the wet-mate connection system from the transformer hub to the export cable allows for instantaneous “plug and play” connection and to the lightweight, low-cost nature of the two micro-pile fixings on each foot of the substructure.
“We estimate that there is an up to 60% saving in fixation costs, increasing rapidly with scale,” he said. “What’s more, the patented HydroWing Quad Barge also has a modular design, enabling operations and maintenance costs to be minimised too.”
HydroWing
As well as highlighting the cost-reduction elements of the design, Parkinson noted that the HydroWing system included various features to increase energy yield.
“For example, the patented T3 turbine blades (each 600kW with 14m rotor diameter) benefit from passive pitch and a gearbox, delivering optimal yield, whilst the 19-metre nacelle height places the turbine in optimal flow conditions for maximum yield as well,” he said.
“The winning combination means that energy yield is increased dramatically, up to 60%.”
Menter Mon Morlais, which manages the Morlais tidal energy site, welcomed the unveiling of the design, with CEO Andy Billcliff saying his company expected it to be a “gamechanger” for tidal energy.
“This represents a big step forward towards the commercialisation of tidal stream energy, paving the way for global applications,” Billcliff said.
Inyanga’s announcement comes as the company was preparing to wrap up a crowdfunding round via the UK-based Crowdcube platform, with the funds to be used for the planned demonstration project at Morlais.
As of December 18 – two days before the round was due to close – Inyanga had raised over £469,800 via the round from 332 investors. This was in excess of its £300,000 target for the round, which was announced in late October.
The company has noted on its Crowdcube fundraising page that this raise is part of a wider raise in which it had already secured £770,000. From these funds, £270,000 have been reflected in the Crowdcube progress bar, which has been attributed to these funds having the same conditions as those offered in the crowdfunder.
Further details on the Crowdcube fundraising page show that following the demonstration project, Inyanga intends to launch the 20MW project at Morlais in 2028.
The funds being raised currently come on top of an over £1.8m capital raise in 2021 and a £900,000 equity investment by Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund.
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