A Fife steel fabricator is to construct the “structural backbone” of the world’s most powerful tidal turbine.
Orkney developer Scotrenewables Tidal Power has awarded the hull-forming contract for its innovative world-leading SR 2000 turbine to Cupar company Gray Fabrication.
The company, which has more than 25 years’ experience in steel fabrication works and which specialises in the rolling and forming of large steel, has been chosen to produce the 64-metre-long floating hull section for the new device.
Gray’s will fabricate the hull in five separate sections before being transported north and welded together to form a single unit.
The finished ‘commercial demonstrator’ device, which will be the most powerful tidal turbine generator in the world with acapacity of 2MW, will then be subjected to a rigorous testing programme at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney for between two and four years.
The centre has previously been used as a testbed for Scotrenewables’ smaller prototype SR250 turbine.
Scotrenewables managing director Mark Hamilton said he was delighted to have Gray’s on board as it moved towards the commercial deployment of its technology.
“The SR2000 turbine is of major importance to the company and represents the full-scale version of our technology.
“Gray Fabrication were selected as our preferred fabricator for this key contract after an extensive tendering process with fabricators across the UK.
“We are delighted to award the contract to a fabricator within Scotland, and Gray Fabrication are a shining example of the strength and quality of the Scottish manufacturing sector.
“We look forward to working with them as our project and the wider marine renewables industry continues to develop.”
Chief technical officer Jonathan Meason added: “The turbine will have to survive the challenging wave and tidal conditions of the north Atlantic, which is why we have chosen Gray’s, whose combination of 25 years of fabrication experience and extremely high professional standards, gives us the confidence we need.”
Gray Fabrication said it was pleased to be involved in such an innovative project.
“This order represents a significant workload for Gray Fabrication over the next few months and further reinforces our involvement in the developing renewable energy market,” a spokesman said.
“Many of our core skills, which were originally developed in the offshore, oil and gas industry, are equally relevant to offshore renewable energy and are ideally suited to this type of contract.
“Scotrenewables have worked tirelessly to get this project to its current stage of development, we wish them every success and we look forward to working closely with them to achieve a positive outcome.”
Scotrenewables said further contracts for the turbine would be awarded in the coming weeks.