SINGAPORE, March 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In Mid-February, ENVIROTEK, together with an international team of experts, has successfully deployed a SCHOTTEL Instream Turbine (SIT) in the waters off the Sentosa Boardwalk in Singapore to showcase the viability of tidal energy in the region. ENVIROTEK, a Singapore-based clean-technology investment company, aspires to lead tidal in-stream energy projects in South East Asia.
"This demonstration is about using appropriate technologies in suitable locations to address real energy needs of South East Asia. We are keen to develop projects that involve marine renewable energy -- a resource that is yet to be tapped effectively in the region." said Jefferson Cheng, Chairman and Founder of ENVIROTEK Pte Ltd.
Floating integrated renewable energy platforms are envisioned for the usage of local stakeholders (e.g. island or coastal areas) helping them increase energy resilience, decrease fossil-fuel dependence, explore multiple applications, and showcase the viability of harnessing tidal in-stream energy (TISE) and its potential to supply clean, renewable, and safe electricity to island as well as coastal communities.
Dr. Michael Lochinvar Sim Abundo, Managing Director of OceanPixel Pte Ltd noted that ocean renewable energy is currently not in the energy mix in South East Asia and remarked, "There is tremendous potential for harnessing ocean/marine renewable energy in the region especially for archipelagic countries like Indonesia and the Philippines. We are looking at marine renewable energy to be part of the energy mix -- not just in off-grid areas but eventually to feed into micro-grids and the main grid."
OceanPixel Pte Ltd, a spin-off company from the Energy Research Institute @ Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (ERI@N), was chosen to manage the project on behalf of ENVIROTEK Pte Ltd.
ENVIROTEK used a SIT 250 turbine in this project, a 62kW device with a rotor diameter of 4m, designed to be very robust and cost-effective. The turbine is attached to a catamaran platform with a lifting frame, allowing the turbine to be easily raised from and into the water. "We believe floating systems are the way to go for tidal energy because this allows us to reduce the installation cost but also to reduce the maintenance cost," explained Dr. Ralf Starzmann, the Sales Director of SCHOTTEL Hydro.
Lita Ocean, a local shipping company, was commissioned to build the catamaran and integrate the SIT 250 turbine unto the platform. On the difficulties that the company faced in the project, Yeo Ying Da, Director of Lita Ocean said: "The main challenge for this project is the design of the platform, such that it is suitable for the deployment of the turbine and is stable in bi-directional mode."
The deployment of the catamaran and the turbine was a joint effort between Lita Ocean, OceanPixel, Aquatera, NTU Singapore, and Orcades Marine. Lita Ocean, working with the local marine contractors, laid down the mooring lines and anchor before finally positioning the floating platform after towing it from their shipyard. Personnel from Aquatera and Orcades Marine were present to supervise the operation. Commissioning of the turbine is expected to take place in March with support from engineers from SCHOTTEL Far East based in Singapore.
Commenting on working in Singapore compared to the UK, David Thomson, Managing Director of Orcades Marine Management Consultants Ltd said, "We have to be very aware of the other stakeholders who use the environment we're working in." Dr. Gareth Davies from Aquatera added, "One of the key aspects we're looking at here is how to learn to install technology in the SEA situation. We need to learn techniques and use equipment that is appropriate to South East Asia. In doing so, we can bring ideas from Europe and the tried and tested techniques but then adapt them to the South East Asian condition."
This deployment has led to the development of local expertise in the tidal energy sector, and it is hoped that they can be used to further develop the industry in the South East Asian region.
Dr. Srikanth Narasimalu, Programme Director and Senior Scientist of Wind and Marine Renewables, ERI@N remarked that this project has given enough credibility to showcase Singapore as a key hub to develop such systems. Jefferson Cheng, President of ENVIROTEK, comments: "This project demonstrates the viability of such solutions and develops pathways for marine renewable energy to enter SEA."
About ENVIROTEK
ENVIROTEK is a Clean Technology Invesment Company based in Singapore focused on Marine/Ocean Renewable Energy. It has been involved in technology development for both Wave energy (via Global Renewable Solutions in Australia) and Tidal Energy investing in projects such as the Black Rock Tidal Power in Canada and its own demonstration project in Sentosa (Singapore). www.envirotek.sg
About OceanPixel
OceanPixel is a South East Asian-based innovation-enabled expert group who specialize in providing intelligence for sustainability efforts focusing on renewables especially for the offshore / ocean / marine renewable energy sector. Offering data catalogs, report products, and technical services a multi-site, multi-device, and multi-criteria geographic information system decision support approach for various stages of project development. OceanPixel is headquartered in Singapore with active presence and involvements in the Philippines, Indonesia, and various parts of Asia. www.oceanpixel.org
About SCHOTTEL HYDRO
SCHOTTEL HYDRO offers its services in three segments: hydrokinetic turbines, semi-submerged platforms and components, such as turbine hubs and drives. SCHOTTEL HYDRO also includes the British company TidalStream Ltd. (TSL) and the Canadian company Black Rock Tidal Power (BRTP). SCHOTTEL HYDRO is located in Spay, Germany. A large network of SCHOTTEL sales and service locations ensure customer proximity worldwide. www.schottel.de/de/schottel-hydro/
About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has 33,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of Engineering, Business, Science, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, and its Interdisciplinary Graduate School. It also has a medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, set up jointly with Imperial College London.
NTU is also home to world-class autonomous institutes -- the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering -- and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N) and the Institute on Asian Consumer Insight (ACI).
Ranked 13th in the world, NTU has also been ranked the world's top young university for the last three years running. The University's main campus has been named one of the Top 15 Most Beautiful in the World. NTU also has a campus in Novena, Singapore's medical district.
For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg
About Aquatera
Aquatera is one of the world's leading marine energy consultancy and project development specialists. The company has undertaken over 250 studies in over 30 countries around the world related to marine energy. Aquatera is located in Stromness, Orkney Islands (UK). www.aquatera.co.uk
About Orcades Marine
Orcades Marine is a leading provider of Marine Project Management and Consultancy Services to the Offshore Renewable Energy Sector, Shipping and Port industry. Based in the stunning Orkney Isles, we pride ourselves on providing the most economic and practical solution for your installation. For more information, visit http://www.orcadesmarine.co.uk/
About Lita Ocean
Lita Ocean was established in the 1970s and has since become one of the leading shipping companies in Singapore providing a diverse range of marine and shipyard services. They have a well-equipped waterfront yard, a fleet of more than 40 various types of vessels and an experienced workforce that have served various governmental organizations, port authorities, international oil majors, offshore oil and gas companies, marine engineering and marine service providers. http://www.litaocean.com
Media Contact:
Dr. Michael Lochinvar Sim Abundo
Managing Director
OceanPixel Pte Ltd
Tel: +65 90663584
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