OES Annual Report 2012 - Ocean Energy Systems

63
04 / COUNTRY REPORTS
sizes depending on the available space and the output expectations. The turbine is equipped with speed
increaser and an asynchronous generator. Each of the turbines is connected to a frequency converter
feeding into a common DC bus installed on the tidal platform. Finally a common frequency converter
together with a large transformer is used to produce grid-ready electricity. Due to the modular approach,
the turbine can be implemented in rivers, sea straits and offshore in jetty or floating platforms as they are
developed by TidalStream.
The turbine design has been supported by various model tests and RANS-CFD simulations. The drive train
was subjected to extensive laboratory tests. Two complete STG drive trains were installed in a submerged
back-to-back configuration. Full-scale tests have been performed with the entire converter including the
rotor. For this purpose, the unit was fixed to a tug (see photo). This setup allowed for the adjustment of
various flow conditions. Different sets of rotor blades as well as the entire power generation chain have
been tested. (source: Schottel Group)
Schottel stg50 prototype
Other German suppliers such as Bosch Rexroth, Schaeffler, Contitech, Thyssen Krupp, Hunger Hydraulik
and Hydac deliver components and parts for a number of ocean energy devices – for wave as well as
tidal turbine technologies mainly in Europe. Certification companies and consultants are contributing to
the technology and project development in the sector. This international collaboration demonstrates the
technology export opportunities which exist in the ocean energy for the German industry.
A national Master Plan Maritime Technologies has being prepared under the coordination of the Ministry
of Economics and Technology to support the development of the maritime technology industry in the
coming years. The goal is to develop recommendations for a future coordinated maritime technology
policy, at federal and state level, and the clustering of the core competencies of industry and science
through enhanced networking and clustering. It is anticipated that ocean energy technologies will play a
role in the plan.
TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION
In addition to the projects mentioned above major German utilities such as EON and RWE are active in
the OE sector with test installations and prototypes around Europe. There is no ocean energy installation
realised in Germany yet and no plans for installations have been published this year.