Minesto Generates First Power with 1.2MW Tidal Energy Kite

Swedish marine energy company Minesto has reached a key milestone with the delivery of first electricity to Faroe Island’s grid from its 1.2MW utility-scale Dragon 12 tidal energy device.

In the early morning of February 9, the Dragon 12 device was successfully commissioned and started producing power ‘at satisfactory levels’ in its first phase of operation, Minesto informed.

The 12-meter wide and 28-ton heavy subsea kite, anchored with a tether to the seabed, is steered in an eight-shaped flight trajectory powered by the tidal flow.

“This is a big day for Minesto. We have reached the most significant milestone in the history of the company by producing electricity to the grid with our mega-watt scale powerplant. We are both proud and happy and more than ever look forward to the journey ahead,” said Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto.

Dragon 12 is a 10-times scale-up from the existing 100 kW Dragon 4, designed for buildout of large-scale commercial tidal energy farms.