The machine will be delivered by renewable energy firm OpenHydro.

A CONSORTIUM INCLUDING Irish renewable energy developer OpenHydro has won a contract to supply a huge tidal turbine to the Japanese government.

The group, which also includes a business owned by one of Japan’s largest electricity companies, has been chosen by the Japanese environment ministry to supply the turbine to be installed at Naru Strait in Goto City in the Nagasaki district.

The 2 megawatt, two-storey high turbine will be built in France and shipped to Japan. It is estimated that it could power between 400 and 500 homes for a year.

The subsea base for the unit will be manufactured by a local company, which will also be responsible for all mobilisation and deployment activities, while Dublin-based OpenHydro has created a Japanese offshoot to manage and oversee the delivery of the project.

More development

The turbine will function as a ‘test’ for the site, and Openhydro has suggested that there may be opportunities to deploy more turbines in Japan.

In a statement, it said that OpenHydro Technology Japan will “also lead development activities in relation to future commercial-scale schemes”.

OpenHydro chief executive James Ives added that the turbine “will be the first commercial-scale tidal device to be deployed in Japanese waters”.

“In future, we will manufacture devices for commercial-scale arrays in Japan, underlining again the potential of the industry to create jobs and economic benefit where significant tidal resource is available.

“As such, this test device is an essential step in the development of a tidal industry in Japan.”

Source: Openhydro

Renewable developer Kyuden Mirai Energy, which is a subsidiary of electricity utility giant Kyushu Electric Power, is also part of the consortium, as well as an association of 55 local companies that supports the marine renewable energy field.

Other projects

Openydro has several other pilot projects underway and recently deployed two prototype tidal turbines in France.

Earlier this year the firm tapped shareholders for €47 million as it aims to commercialise its technology.

OpenHydro is majority owned by French naval systems designer DCNS, which provided the majority of the capital during the shareholder cash call.

As well as major projects in France and Canada, the company plans to develop a huge tidal array in Northern Ireland.