EIT InnoEnergy, PMH Investments, Invest-NL, the FOM and NOM are investing in SeaQurrent. Together with existing investors, the parties are putting over EUR 4.8 million into the Dutch company working on the TidalKite. This is an underwater kite that generates energy from tidal currents.
SeaQurrent is the developer of TidalKite, a nine-by-12-metre underwater kite. It should be able to generate enough energy for 700 households in the future. The Dutch startup aims to create a tidal power plant by combining several TidalKites.
Attached to the seabed
A TidalKite is attached with a high-tech cable to an anchor in the seabed. The kite is located underwater and 'flies' here transversely in the current. This causes the kite to generate tractive force, which drives a hydro motor. This, in turn, runs a generator, generating renewable electricity.
The kite consists of a frame with several wings in a tandem arrangement. The current in the water causes the kite to accelerate in the water. This creates a large buoyancy, which carries it through to a power take-off. This consists of a hydraulic cylinder and a combination of a hydraulic motor and generator. The hydraulic cylinder is pulled out by the force of the kite. In the process, it transfers pressurised fluid to the hydromotor generator, which in turn generates renewable energy.
Reduce dependence on fossil fuels
With the TidalKite, SeaQurrent aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase the reliability of the electricity system. Tidal energy is an interesting option here, partly because the energy source is always available and predictable. This is in contrast to solar and wind energy, whose output is highly seasonal and weather-dependent. According to SeaQurrent, the impact on the environment and landscape is minimal. A scale model (1:10) was successfully tested in the Wadden Sea in 2018 and 2019.
Using the TidalKite, SeaQurrent says it can:
- Producing renewable energy 24/7/365
- Generating energy in all possible locations with water flow
- realise high energy yields due to, among other things, the TidalKite's ability to operate at varying depths, leading to 3.1 times higher electricity production than current technologies
- generate renewable energy at low cost thanks to, among other things, optimisation of units for their specific conditions and deployment of units close to the coast
- generate energy with minimal impact as the technology minimises the risk of collisions with marine life, has no impact on the seabed, uses biodegradable fluids and has no visual impact.
Making tidal energy affordable
The company aims to make tidal energy affordable. To this end, it collaborates with companies, research institutes and governments alike. These include Dutch Marine Energy Center, the Wadden Fund, SNN and VIA, but also the provinces of Drenthe, Friesland and Groningen as well as the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The University of Groningen is also involved.
"We are proud to announce that we have successfully completed the planned financing round. This investment enables us to further shape the further development of our distinctive technology and the preparation of pilot projects. The quality of the joining investors also contributes to further growth and professionalisation of our company," said Youri Wentzel, CEO of SeaQurrent.
Experiment near Ameland
An experiment with the TidalKite near Ameland is planned next year. This will be a full-scale test project. SeaQurrent will install the underwater kite in the Borndiep, a sea channel between the Wadden Islands of Ameland and Terschelling. Preparatory work for this has largely been completed.
SeaQurrent expects the installation of the TidalKite to take place in March 2023. It hereby connects the kite to Ameland. Seventy per cent of the Wadden Islands' energy consumption is expected to be able to be generated using TidalKites. For coastal towns on the Wadden Sea, the percentage is twenty per cent.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source photo: SeaQurrent
