After months of hard work, the ‘Pulse Stream 100’ tidal generator is now fully assembled and undergoing commissioning and testing.  The Pulse Stream 100 is the world’s first grid connected shallow water tidal stream generator, installed in the Humber Estuary near Immingham.

The two piles were hammered into the seabed in April 2008 and main structures installed shortly afterwards.  Since then the powertrain, including 4 hydrofoils, lever arms, connecting rods and gearbox-generator-control system have been finalised and assembled.

The mean water level the Pulse Stream 100 operates in is only 9 m and with 4 m of tidal range either side of that, the Pulse Tidal concept will prove for the first time the potential for tidal stream energy from shallow waters.  The DTI Atlas of UK Marine Renewable Energy Resources shows that a significant proportion of the UK tidal steam resource is in water too shallow for other technologies that have been installed recently.

The team of engineers from Pulse Tidal Ltd, the originator of the technology; IT Power, a leading developer of marine energy devices and project co-ordinator; Econnect, partner for the control system and grid connection; and Humber Work Boats, a local company that mobilised staff and installation vessels, will now continue the testing programme through the summer, with results of the device’s performance to be ready later this year.

Marc Paish, Technical Director of Pulse Tidal Ltd., congratulated the team for the final assembly work describing it as “a very smooth and well planned operation”.

Howard Nimmo, Commercial Director of Pulse Tidal Ltd. said “the installation of this device just 1 km from a large chemical works shows the importance of shallow tidal power technology in bringing power to exactly where it is needed. This project is just the start - others are now in the pipeline”.

Jamie O’Nians, the Pulse Stream 100 Project Director said “we are extremely excited about proving this shallow water tidal stream energy device and are already preparing for scaling up this technology to the megawatt level”.