In December 2007 Ocean Flow Energy was awarded a Research & Development Grant by One NorthEast to support the testing of Evopod and its mooring system in real tidal stream conditions. Testing of the 10th scale unit started in June 2008.

Demonstration of the 1/10th scale Evopod follows on from the “Proof of Concept” phase that was carried out in 2005/06 with the support of a DTI Research Grant (administered by the north of England RDA OneNorthEast). This work was carried out by Overberg with support from the North East Business Innovation Centre (BIC) and the University of Newcastle’s School of Marine Science and Technology (MAST) and their Resource Centre for Innovation and Design (RCID) completed in June 2006.

Tests carried out on a 1/40th scale model at the University of Newcastle’s combined wave and current flume tank were used to validate the turbine efficiency and the floating tethered platform’s motion stability characteristics.

Detailed evaluation of the mooring system was carried out using OrcaFlex industry standard software backed up by model tests.

Evopod was awarded “Innovative Product of the Year 2006” by the Spirit of Innovation Committee sponsored by banks, regional government and universities in the North East of England.

Overberg has been contracted by NaREC to lease the 1/10th scale Evopod for demonstrating NaREC’s new tidal energy test station on Teeside in June 2007.

Collaboration & Support