HydroWing Falmouth Quad Hull Barge to cut tidal energy costs

The Falmouth-based company’s tidal technology is seen as a cost-effective scalable solution for tidal stream energy generation.

Moreover, HydroWing was the largest tidal stream project to come out successful in the United Kingdom government’s latest Contracts for Difference round, earning a considerable 10MW project at the Morlais tidal energy site in Anglesey.

HydroWing’s technology provides a modular solution to the problems of tidal energy sector that has been substantially restrained by high operations and maintenance costs.

It makes the work easier and cuts down costs by facilitating the removal of tidal energy turbines without dabbling with the underlying foundations.

Richard Parkinson, MD of Inyanga Marine Energy Group, the parent company of HydroWing said: "Deployment, recovery, and operations and maintenance are large factors in determining the levelized cost of electricity.

"However, offshore construction vessel availability is very weak with expensive day rates."

He added: "This means that the cost of planned and unplanned offshore operations is very high.

"HydroWing’s new Quad Hull Barge has been specifically designed to tackle this issue, driving down costs and ensuring the turbines can be effectively maintained at low cost and with reduced downtime."

The company’s Quad Hull Barge enhances productivity while also reducing related costs by enabling larger load widths.

Mr Parkinson added: "Our new Quad Hull Barge represents a major leap forward for the sector.

"The design ticks all the important boxes for offshore operators.

"It is modular, so it can be transported by road and assembled at site".

Following its unique design, the company has filed a patent application to protect the Quad Hull Barge, showing a promising future for tidal energy through innovative methods.