Tidal currents are mainly driven by the gravity of the moon and other planets. Energy generated from tidal currents offers great opportunities as a source of sustainable energy.

Since 2014, NIOZ has been closely involved in several tidal energy projects.

BlueTEC

The first floating BlueTEC Tidal Energy platform, supported by the Dutch Waddenfonds, was installed south of the island of Texel in 2015. It primarily serves as a demonstration platform targeted at remote locations worldwide, such as islands in Indonesia, the Philippines and the Pacific.

The platform generates clean electricity from the Wadden Sea tides to the Dutch electricity grid.

Dutch Marine Energy Centre

Other tidal energy projects NIOZ is involved in are:

• Tidal Energy Fish Impact, funded by the innovation council of Nederland Maritiem Land (NML-MIIP), which studies the effect of a tidal turbine on fish behaviour and mortality;
• NIOZ is partner of the Dutch Marine Energy Centre (DMEC), which brings together a wide range of marine energy expertise,
• Monitoring options and test facilities.

NIOZ tidal energy research

NIOZ specialties in the field of tidal energy include:

• Measuring the environment, including current speed and heading, turbulence, wake field, waves, sediment transport and bathymetric changes;
• Hydrodynamic modelling, near and far field;
• Ecological impact studies.

Ecological impact studies cover issues like:

• Seabed: effects on microfytobenthos (bottom algae) and bottom fauna;
• Water column: effects on phytoplankton, zooplankton (including jellyfish), larvae, fish, birds and marine mammals;
• Linking impact studies to long-term system-focused field observations.

More information

For more information about NIOZ tidal energy projects, please contact ir. Marck Smit.