Imagine yourself standing on a rugged coastline, the roar of the ocean echoing in your ears. You unfurl a kite into the salty breeze, feeling the tug of its strings as it catches the wind. But this isn’t an ordinary kite flying experience; this is the inception of Minesto’s revolutionary ocean technology. Picture the kite soaring not against the wind, but across it, slicing through the air with remarkable speed. This seemingly impossible feat is akin to the principle behind Minesto’s patented innovation, but instead of the beach, it takes place beneath the waves. Here, in the depths of the ocean, where water is nearly a thousand times denser than air, lies an untapped wellspring of energy.
Minesto’s technology harnesses the power of tidal streams and ocean currents through a groundbreaking principle reminiscent of a kite’s flight. Their wing, submerged in the current, utilizes hydrodynamic lift force to maneuver through the water, much like the kite’s journey across the sky. Guided by an onboard control system, the wing traces a predetermined figure-of-eight trajectory, propelling a turbine through the water at speeds surpassing the actual current. This turbine, in turn, spins a generator, converting the kinetic energy of the ocean into electricity. Through a network of cables embedded in a tether extending to the seabed, this electricity is transmitted ashore, seamlessly integrating with the national grid.
Recently, Minesto celebrated a significant milestone with the commissioning of their utility-scale tidal power plant, the Dragon 12, in the Faroe Islands. With a remarkable output of 1.2 megawatts, this colossal structure spans twelve meters in width and weighs an impressive 28 tons. Anchored securely to the seabed, the Dragon 12 gracefully maneuvers through the tidal currents, its trajectory controlled by the ebb and flow of the ocean’s pulse. The site selection in the Faroe Islands was strategic, capitalizing on the region’s formidable tides, among the strongest in Europe. At the heart of the power plant lies the wing, bearing a turbine directly linked to a generator housed within a nacelle. Precise control is achieved through the manipulation of rudders and elevators positioned at the kite’s rear, ensuring optimal performance in harnessing the ocean’s energy.
The tether, a vital lifeline connecting the power plant to its seabed foundation, accommodates an intricate network of ropes and cables for communication and power transmission. Its design incorporates a simple yet robust connector, facilitating effortless installation and recovery operations. In the vast expanse of the ocean, Minesto’s vision emerges as a beacon of sustainable energy, tapping into the relentless power of tidal streams and ocean currents to illuminate the path towards a greener future.