Invitation to Tender - QED-Morlais 76 Tidal Turbine Power Take-Off

QED Naval is an innovative company specialising in tidal energy technology. The company has developed disruptive technology that can be applied globally. This includes our self-deploying, submersible tidal platform, the Subhub Industrial Demonstrator (ID), that is proven to work efficiently and reliably with our subsidiary company Tocardo’s horizontal axis tidal turbines.

The Torcardo T-3 is the next generation in Torcardo’s turbine series, with the previous iterations being used in the Oosterscheldekering storm surge barrier. The design prides itself on simplicity and reliability whilst maintaining effective tidal energy capture. The turbine has a 14m blade diameter, a passive bidirectional pitch system, and uses a split winding permanent magnetic synchronous generator.

QED’s next generation of Subhub ID will feature 3 of Tocardo’s turbine-generator pairs, which will be individually controlled and then combined into a single grid output within the Subhub ID’s dry compartments under water.

QED Naval is looking for a supplier to provide the various power take-off circuitry to support this delivery of grid compliant power from the Subhub Platform Control Unit (SPCU) into the National Grid at distribution level.

The solution will accommodate 3 independently controlled T-3 turbines, each with a power rating of 350 kW and generator output voltage of 690 V. Each generator’s PTO solution will be housed in a standard double electrical cabinet with dimensions 2000 x 1200 x 600 mm (excluding the shared transformer) if possible. The cabinets will be held within the SPCU. The SPCU consists of two sealed pressure hulls that have an inner diameter of 3 m and a length of 10 m. The solution will be supplied fully assembled and complying with necessary electrical standards. A supporting single line drawing of the complete system should also be provided.

This tender requires the delivery of a single turbine-generator PTO configuration in 2024 for testing before the remaining 2 PTO configurations are delivered to complete the Subhub ID arrangement for subsea deployment. The successful delivery of the tender described in this document could establish a relationship for future plans that include the initial extension from one Subhub ID to a mini-array of five (totalling 5 MW) followed by additional phases to a maximum array size of 30 MW.