Renewable Energy

Tests confirm pitch regulating ability of tidal energy system rotor

Sept. 27, 2024

Inyanga Marine Energy Group has completed hydrodynamic testing of the Passive Pitch Unit for its HydroWing technology.

Related To: Inyanga Marine Energy Group

The turbines used on HydroWing tidal energy device

Inyanga Marine Energy Group has completed hydrodynamic testing of the Passive Pitch Unit for its HydroWing technology.

Recently HydroWing was awarded the largest tidal energy project under Allocation Round 6 of the UK government’s Contracts for Difference scheme.

Inyanga plans a 20-MW tidal energy development at Morlais off the west coast of the island of Anglesey, north Wales.

George Dadd, HydroWing lead turbine engineer, at hydrodynamic testing lab

Testing of Hydrowing took place at the Kelvin Hydrodynamics Laboratory at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.

Results confirmed that the system’s blade rotor can automatically regulate its own pitch using its self-adjusting system.

CEO Richard Parkinson said with the new pitch regulation system, the blade rotors can be scaled to twice the swept area, operating even in harsh ocean conditions.

“This technology advance unlocks new possibilities for harnessing marine energy at a larger scale and paves the way for future innovations in predictable sustainable power generation. The passive pitch mechanism not only regulates the output of the device but protects the device from adverse conditions such as wave loadings, grid loss and storm surges," he said. "Passive pitch has major benefits over active pitch in terms of reliability, cost and load damping, while also achieving increased energy yield.”

Inyanga now plans to further the validation process using a full-scale test rig.

Earlier this year, Energies PH contracted Inyanga Marine Energy Group to build a 1-MW tidal power generation plant at Capul Island, Northern Samar in the Philippines. Inyanga is responsible for engineering, procurement and construction. The facility, which will feature the company’s HydroWing tidal stream technology, should be ready to operate by late 2025.