Sheffield-based Magnomatics (www.magnomatics.com), which specialises in magnetic gear technology, is taking part in a pioneering marine-turbine project to harness the power of sea currents as an alternative energy source.

The company is responsible for designing the turbine’s generator, using its ground-breaking pseudo direct drive (PDD) technology to deliver high-torque low-speed power.

The turbine itself has been designed by Seaplace, a Spanish offshore engineering company that aims to harness sea currents (rather than tides) to generate power.

A small-scale turbine demonstrator — designed for 600NM and 6kW, with rotational speeds up to 120rev/min — was recently tested at a facility in Madrid, where it achieved around a third more efficiency than had been predicted.

The full-scale turbine is around 26m in diameter, with a propeller diameter of about 18m and five blades to each propeller.

Using the kinetic energy of ocean currents to generate energy is a relatively young technology but has great
potential, because currents are more predictable than wind or solar power.

David Latimer, Magnomatics’ chief executive, said: “The possibilities presented by using ocean currents as an alternative energy source are far-reaching.

"The European Commission estimates that 0.1% of the energy content in ocean waves could supply the entire world’s energy demand five-times over.

"The turbine is sturdy and easy to maintain, presenting a cost-efficient solution for regions with a sea depth of more than 60m or variable sea-bed depths, making it an extremely exciting development.”