Magallanes Renovables Interview on Tidal Energy Featured in National Geographic.
Three-quarters of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans. These immense bodies of water are a colossal source of renewable energy widely distributed across the globe. In comparison to other renewable resources, such as solar or wind energy, tidal energy is still relatively underexploited.
Tidal energy is an eternal ebb that in some areas of the world exceeds 9 meters per second in intensity. It is easy to predict the marine currents and it is also straightforward to precisely know their speed. We can know in advance and consistently, enabling very accurate estimates of electricity production. Through the two generators, the platform’s generation capacity is up to 2MW of power. That is, about 3,500 to 5,200 MWh/year. We know that the average consumption of a household in Spain is approximately 10 MWh, so we believe that one of these platforms could cover the consumption of about 500 homes. Undoubtedly, a commendable initiative. May the power of tides be extensively harnessed.
With this theoretical foundation, Magallanes Renovables was founded in 2007 in Redondela, in the Galician estuary of Vigo, with the goal of designing and validating the best technology to generate energyin the most suitable areas worldwide.
It is the only Spanish project in an advanced stage of development that explores electric generation. This platform consists of an emerged part where the two hydrogenerators are located. Thanks to control systems, it requires minimal supervision, has no impact on the seabed, and can be installed in any area worldwide.
Now, the prototype of the platform will be tested in real scenarios. Initially, it will operate in Vigo and later at the facilities of the European Marine Energy Centre.
