ETA has been extensively involved in the development of Tidal Energy projects worldwide. ETA has provided support on all aspects of the cable installation, maintenance and associated technologies, offering services from total project management to ‘one-off’ consultancy assignments, design work, planning, and technical studies.
ETA’s broad range of skills, knowledge and experience has been used to bring about success on some of the most significant tidal projects worldwide including the UK’s first grid connected turbine with Open Hydro, and the in-stream turbines at the Bay of Fundy with FORCE.
Details of some of ETA’s work in the Tidal market can be found below; ETA is also currently undertaking other projects examining the connection of small farms of tidal devices.
Alongside our involvement with Tidal Energy, ETA’s expertise has been acquired from their background in the installation and maintenance of subsea cable in the traditional fields of power cable, telecom, or offshore oil and gas projects as well as from their extensive involvement with other offshore renewables.
For more information on ETA’s products and services give us a call on:
Tidal Power Clients and Project Examples
Tidal Turbine Grid Connection
Working through OpenHydro’s principle contractor ETA performed the offshore works required to connect the export cable, which involved the recovery of the cable end, re-routing the cable, pulling the cable up the J tube and performing the mechanical and electrical termination on the Openhydro platform.
These works were project managed by ETA and included the development of detailed procedures, supply of specialist personnel, and equipment to undertake the operations.
Tidal and Wave Energy Cables
ETA reviewed the survey data and designed the new cable routes including cable crossings and interfaced with developers to ensure their needs were catered for. ETA provided Consultancy services with input into the cable specification from the installation and service life prospective, recommended installation contractors, prepared the cable installation specification and tender package. ETA then performed the tender review and supported EMEC in the choice of contractor.
ETA finally supplied the offshore project manager during the successful installation, repair and upgrade works.
Subsea Turbine Connection
ETA were initially contracted to provide peer review of TGLs installation contractors but following a number of installation issues ETA took a leading role in the cable works. This included detailed planning and modelling behavior of the cables during installation.
ETA became principle contractor for remedial works which included the recovery of cartridge plate from subsea foundation. ETA then developed the detailed cartridge plate and umbilical installation procedures, the detailed umbilical and EMEC cable jointing procedures. ETA also designed and supplied specialist installation aids, provided CDM Co-ordination during the final stages of piling of TGL’s foundation and supplied specialist personnel during the cartridge plate and umbilical installation.
Cable Consultants
This has included the review of the proposed cable routes, cable stability assessment, review of installation procedures and equipment, offshore attendance for vessel handling trials, development of an outline repair strategy and supply of a cable end termination. In addition ETA provided project management, project engineering and offshore support for the installation of a data cable at the site which is a pre-cursor to laying the four berth export cables.