Tech Briefs Magazine - October 2021 - 29a

DESIGN OPTIMIZATION
FIGURE 7    
     
FIGURE 6       
    
» EFFICIENT AND FISH FRIENDLY: LIVE TESTS
CONFIRM NEW DESIGN'S POTENTIAL
Water2Energy performed live testing of its adjusting-blade
VAWT mechanism inside a Delta Works sluice channel (Figure
7). The tests demonstrated that, in terms of power output,
the redesigned turbine outperformed an existing fixed-blade
design by more than 40%.
The Darrieus rotor turbine proved that it could turn tidal
currents into electricity while protecting sea life. In turbines
using Kaplan rotors, up to 20% of the fish flowing past it are
typically killed by the fast-spinning blades. The Water2Energy
turbine, reduced the mortality rate to less than 1%. Cameras
installed in the sluice channel vividly show the vertical adjusting
blades working as intended, as trout swim safely past.
Having established the efficacy of their design,
Water2Energy is now working to commercialize its potential.
A consortium called Climate Power Plant Zeeland proposes to
build a tidal power plant inside Zeeland's Grevelingendam.
One of the solutions proposed could use up to 6 Water2Energy
turbines, totaling 1.6 MW of output, to generate electricity for
an estimated 1000 households.
» A POETIC (BUT PRAGMATIC)
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RISING SEA
Van Halewijn also reminds us to take a broader view: " This
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The review of this article by Peter Scheijgrond from MET/SUPPORT is gratefully acknowledged.
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COMSOL NEWS 29a
story is not just about simulation, " he says. " You have to put it
in the context of the problems we face nowadays. "
From this perspective, we can see the larger significance of
this work being done by small companies in a small country.
The wellbeing of the world may now depend on our ability to
negotiate with natural forces, whether those forces are as vast
as a North Sea storm, or as small as a trout swimming safely
out with the tide. Says Van Halewijn, " We are looking for a
win-win situation. "
ABOUT THE ENCORE PROJECT
The aim of the ENCORE project is to advance four offshore renewable
energy technologies - a wave energy convertor, a tidal and river current
turbine, and offshore floating solar - in a structured and collaborative
process, and to develop open-source tools and services to facilitate the
accelerated uptake of offshore energy solutions for islands, harbors,
estuaries, and offshore structures with a focus on the Interreg 2 Seas region
and export opportunities.
The ENCORE project receives funding from the Interreg 2 Seas program
2014-2020, cofunded by the European Regional Development Fund under
subsidy contract No 2S08-004. Also, the provinces of South and North
Holland and Zeeland are offering financial support.
Lead partner and coordinator MET/SUPPORT brings together project
partners from 4 European countries: Water2Energy (NL), EEL Energy (FR),
Oceans of Energy (NL), Teamwork Technology (NL), Dutch Marine Energy
Centre (NL), the European Marine Energy Centre (UK), Artelia (FR), Bureau
Veritas (FR), Ghent University (BE), Inyanga (UK), and Deftiq (NL).
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Tech Briefs Magazine - October 2021

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