Pulse Tidal receives EU grant
Sheffield-based Pulse Tidal is to receive a grant of €8m (£7.3m) from the EU’s technology research and development fund (Framework Programme 7) to enable the company to begin work developing its first fully commercial tidal-energy generator.
The 1MW generator will be commissioned in 2012 and will provide electricity for up to 1,000 homes.
Alongside this finance, the company has signed contracts with a group of international companies to develop the commercial device and form a secure supply chain for volume production.
Pulse has developed a system whereby tidal streams move horizontal blades up and down to drive a generator. Its 100kW test rig in the Humber estuary currently feeds power into a chemicals company on the banks of the river.
Bob Smith, Pulse chief executive and the former chief development officer at BP Solar, said: ‘We have developed an economic way to recover predictable, renewable energy from the tides and are entering a young market predicted to be worth at least £6bn annually in electricity sales.’
The EU grant has been awarded to the team of Pulse and its seven supply-chain partners to fund 50 per cent of the development of Pulse’s full-scale commercial generator. The remaining 50 per cent will be provided by private investment.
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Radio wave weapon knocks out drone swarms
Probably. A radio-controlled drone cannot be completely shielded to RF, else you´d lose the ability to control it. The fibre optical cable removes...