USA: ORPC to Unveil Full-Scale Commercial Unit

Portland-based tidal energy expert, Ocean Renewable Power Co., will unveil its first full-scale commercial unit of the TidGen™ Power System on Tuesday, writes Press Herald news portal.

This newly developed 180 kilowatt unit will be installed on the Cobscook seafloor sometimes next month.

“Maine is where it all started and where the lessons are being learned,” said ORPC’s president and co-founder, Chris Sauer. “Maine will become the intellectual center for tidal energy, with the people and knowledge base for how to do this.”

The Bay of Fundy, located on the border between eastern Maine and Canada, is one of the most robust tidal energy resources in the world. Each day, 100 billion tons of water flow in and out of this bay, with the force of 8,000 locomotives and tidal ranges of up to 50 feet or more. At its mouth, off of Eastport and Lubec, Maine, ORPC is poised to install first commercial power systems with the Maine Tidal Energy Project. This three-part project will deploy power systems in Cobscook Bay, at Kendall Head, and in Western Passage, and will be connected to the New England power pool through the Bangor Hydro utility grid.

[mappress]

Offshore WIND staff, July 23, 2012; Image: orpc