Floating tidal power plant opened in Norway  

Renewable Energy Focus has an update on the trial of a floating tidal power plant in Norway - Floating tidal power plant opened in Norway.

Hydra Tidal’s floating tidal power plant, Morild II, has been officially opened in Gimsøystraumen in Lofoten, Northern Norway.

The opening of the 1.5 MW tidal power plant marks the start of the planned two-year trial period for testing and verification of Morild II and the technology. The tidal turbine blades are made of laminated wood with a diameter of 23 m.

“We know of no comparable floating tidal power plants in the world. There are smaller scale models that have been installed, but Morild II is a full-scale plant. The largest known turbine diameter of other power plants is 18 meters, and the largest installed power known to us is 1 MW. Thus we can imply with a fair amount of certainty that Morild II is the largest tidal power plant of its kind," says the CEO of Hydra Tidal, Eivind Nydal. Morild II is expected to supply power to the grid by the end of 2010.