The Largest Ocean Energy Generator Ever Deployed in U.S. Waters

Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) will unveil the tidal energy company’s underwater electric generator and its Turbine Generator Unit (TGU) support structure in Bangor on Thursday, Feb. 18. The TGU frame, measuring 46 feet wide by 14 feet high, with the 10,000 pound generator mounted at its center, will then be shipped to Eastport, where ORPC’s proprietary hydrokinetic turbines will be installed into the unit prior to deployment in Cobscook Bay in early March.

With a capacity rating of 60 kilowatts, the TGU will be the largest ocean energy device ever deployed in U.S. waters. Christopher Sauer, CEO of ORPC, will present and describe the Turbine Generator Unit at the StillwaterMetalworks facilities, 106 Florida Ave., adjacent to the Bangor Airport, at 1:30 p.m. Representatives of business partners, R&D collaborators, and state and local government will join him for the event. This will be an outdoor event.

The TGU frame is made of a combination of steel and composite material and is 100 percent Mainemade. Stillwater Metalworks fabricated the steel components and assembled the frame and Harbor Technologies manufactured the composite components used. The TGU assembly will be completed next week when the first all-composite hydrokinetic turbines built in the U.S., unveiled 2 weeks ago in Bath, are installed in the TGU frame. Once launched, the company will operate its TGU for at least two months, marking another significant milestone in harnessing clean, reliable renewable energy from Maine’s ocean resources.

WHAT: Ocean Renewable Power Company will unveil its hydrokinetic generator

WHEN: Thursday, February 18, 2010, 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Stillwater Metalworks

108 Florida Ave.

Bangor, ME 04401

(Bounded most closely by the Bangor International Airport to the west and Route

222/Union St. to the north. Accessible from the south or from BIA via Maine Ave.)

Short URL: http://www.oceanpowermagazine.net/?p=1085

Posted by Gordon Smith on Feb 13 2010. Filed under Featured Articles, Ocean Power Technologies & Projects. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry