The Subsea Kite Accessing Untapped Tidal Power at the End of a Future Fibres Tether
Founded in 2007 as an off-shoot from Swedish aerospace manufacturer Saab, Minesto is the visionary marine energy developer promising to play a defining role in the future of renewables.
With its subsea kite conceptualised under Saab, Minesto successfully launched its first operational 100kW Deep Green marine energy power plant in Vestamanna, Faroe Islands, in May 2022. Early indications of the first Dragon 4 unit (pictured above) are positive, and the company has now started commissioning works for its next kite.
The Dragon 4 has garnered a huge amount of attention due to its capacity to generate electricity at low currents economically, using the predictable power of the tide – giving it the potential to change the global power landscape.
Designed for increased performance, low cost and scalability, the Dragon 4 is propelled in a figure of 8 motion, efficiently producing energy from tidal streams and ocean currents by sweeping a small turbine across a large area, at a speed several times the speed of the underwater current.
Anchoring each Dragon to the seabed is a PBO tether from specialists in composite cables Future Fibres. Selected to provide a low-drag, high strength solution, with minimum stretch, Future Fibres’ manufacturing process lays PBO fibre in a unidirectional orientation that aligns with the load placed on the tether, meaning that the electrical cables running alongside it are not put under strain. Needless to say, this is essential for the integrity of the electronics and the reliability of electricity generation.
With the minds at Minesto pushing forward with their plans to expand Deep Green marine energy power plants to multiple locations, Future Fibres is proud to be working with leaders in the next generation of tidal energy, and to be playing a part in crafting a brighter future for the energy market.
“Future Fibres is proud to be helping Minesto develop this cutting-edge renewable energy technology. Our engineering and manufacturing competencies are assisting Minesto in getting the greatest efficiency from their ground-breaking system in the harshest environments. As a company we hold the Oceans in the highest of regards, so working with Minesto to deliver reliable, green tidal energy matches up perfectly both with our core values and our capabilities.” Richard Adams, Business Development Director, Future Fibres
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