SME moves forward with PLAT-O project with £4.5M in pocket

Sustainable Marine Energy (SME) has secured £4.5 million funding to start the deployment of an array comprising its PLAT-O tidal energy systems at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.

The company has now moved their operational base to Orkney and will be grid-connecting their first system at EMEC over the coming months.

This deployment will then be followed by a larger, 240kW, platform with SCHOTTEL HYDRO Instream Turbines (SIT 250), the production of which will commence this summer, also in Scotland.

SME’s existing investors have been joined by SCHOTTEL HYDRO with Scottish Enterprise increasing its investment to provide the funding required to take the development of PLAT-O through the next phase, to prove the commercial viability for community scale arrays.

SME has conducted extensive testing of its first PLAT-O prototype in the Solent, off the Isle of Wight, during 2014 and 2015.

Jason Hayman, Managing Director of SME, said: “This will show that 2^nd generation tidal energy technology really is commercially viable. It is fantastic that SCHOTTEL HYDRO is supporting us at this stage, and also that they have the confidence in the capability and potential of Scottish supply chain to deliver on this project.

“This is a long term commitment for SME and SCHOTTEL HYDRO and we are rapidly expanding our operations in Orkney, whilst benefitting from the experience of local contractors to drive down the costs of marine operations.”

In addition to the development of PLAT-O, SME has also developed drilled rock anchors suitable for tidal sites.

Niels A. Lange, Managing Director of SCHOTTEL HYDRO commented: “We are pleased to support SME on their way to demonstrate the benefits of PLAT-O plus our SIT 250 technology. This project with complementary technologies indicates the perspectives of productive interaction within the entire industry.”