Floating tidal-energy platform demonstrated

Sustainable Marine Energy (SME) (www.sustainablemarine.com) — a marine engineering company based in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight — demonstrated its PLAT-I floating tidal-energy platform at Connel Sound (near Oban) last month to its suppliers and to interested parties from around the world.

The visitors included Peterhead-based JBS Group Scotland, which built the device, staff from the Marine Planning Department of Argyll & Bute Council and delegations from China and America.

The PLAT-I is 32m long and has a beam of 27m. Each of its four Schottel Hydro turbines is rated at 70kW.

Following the trials in Scotland, PLAT-1 will be deployed in the Philippines.