Swedish marine energy developer Minesto has completed offshore commissioning and testing of its Deep Green 500kW tidal kite off the coast of north Wales.
The company said the sea trials had verified the functionality of the DG500 device at utility scale, successfully “flying full subsea operational trajectories”.
Minesto will use the winter period to focus on maintenance and power plant upgrades, before resuming operations of the Deep Green system in the second quarter of 2019.
Minesto chief executive Martin Edlund said: “We are proud of what we have achieved in Wales this year, the team has reached all its testing milestones in a safe and professional manner.
“Through the project installation, commissioning and operation activities of our DG500 device, we are pleased to successfully have verified the control system of our technology at a utility scale, and to have achieved electricity generation for the first time with a commercial-scale unit.
“We are looking forward to further building on the considerable asset base we have created in North Wales by continued site development work, to realise the full potential of our Holyhead Deep site.”
Minesto chief operating officer David Collier said the company had learned a lot from the commissioning and testing programme.
“This knowledge will enhance the functionality of the supporting infrastructure at the Holyhead Deep and other development sites.
“We have also developed and verified procedures which creates value both in an operations perspective and a business perspective.”