ORPC to Unveil Largest Ocean Energy Device Ever Deployed in U.S. Waters

Monday, Mar 01, 2010

Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) will unveil the tidal energy company's proprietary Turbine Generator Unit (TGU) in Eastport on Tuesday, March 2.   With a capacity rating of 60 kilowatts, the TGU will be the largest ocean energy device ever deployed in U.S. waters.

Christopher Sauer, President and CEO of ORPC, will present and describe the TGU and the deployment vessel, the Energy Tide 2, at the Boat School, 16 Deep Cove Road in Eastport at 2:00 p.m.   Former governor Angus King will keynote the program. 
Eastport Middle School students will christen the TGU and representatives of business partners, R&D collaborators, and state and local government will make remarks as part of the celebration.

This will be an outdoor event.

This TGU project incorporates significant new advancements and technological innovations in ORPC's proprietary design, including its proprietary turbine engineered with 100 percent composite materials, its proprietary underwater permanent magnet generator, a TGU support frame incorporating significant use of composite materials, and a power electronics system that will convert the variable generator output to grid-compatible power.  Nearly all of the project components were made or assembled in Maine, including the 60' by 24' Energy Tide 2 vessel that was fabricated in the Eastport area. 

The upcoming demonstration project will confirm ORPC's ability to reliably generate grid-compatible tidal energy on a commercial scale with its proprietary technology. It will also allow for collection of important data on TGU performance and its interaction with the marine environment.

Once launched, the company will operate the TGU at a mooring site in Cobscook Bay for at least two months, marking another significant milestone in harnessing clean, reliable renewable energy from Maine's ocean resources.  ORPC firmly established the technical viability of its proprietary technology during a year-long demonstration program in 2008, and expects to install the first full-scale, grid connected tidal TGU in Maine in early 2011.

WHAT: Ocean Renewable Power Company will unveil its Beta TGU and the Energy Tide 2

WHEN: Tuesday, March 2, 2010 2:00 PM EST

WHERE: The Boat School 
16 Deep Cove Road
Eastport, ME 04631-3218

Source: ORPC