Weekly Intelligence Brief

ORPC gets ready for its demonstration project

4 December 2009

Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) will launch the Energy Tide 2 (ET2) to demonstrate the performance of the commercial design of its proprietary Turbine Generator Unit (TGU) in Cobscook Bay, Maine early next year.

ORPC expects to install its first full-scale, grid-connected tidal TGU in Maine in late 2010 and first grid-connected tidal and river devices in Alaska in 2011.

This demonstration project incorporates significant new advancements and technological innovations in the TGU, including its proprietary turbine engineered with 100%  composite materials, its proprietary “hybrid” underwater permanent magnet generator, a TGU support frame incorporating significant use of composite materials, and a power electronics system that will convert the variable generator output to grid-compatible power.

ORPC is developing tidal energy projects in three of America’s most robust tidal energy resources: Western Passage and Cobscook Bay, Maine; and Cook Inlet, Alaska and is also developing a run-of-river project on the Tanana River in Alaska. The company, founded in 2004, holds FERC Preliminary Permits and is in the process of obtaining FERC Pilot Project Licenses for several sites in the US, including Western Passage and Cobscook Bay in Maine, as well as Cook Inlet and the Tanana River in Alaska.

Read more:

Ocean Renewable Power Company: http://social.tidaltoday.com/search/node/Ocean+Renewable+Power+Company

FERC: http://social.tidaltoday.com/search/node/FERC