Tidal Turbine and Oceanographic Sensors to be Installed in Cape Cod Canal

Next week, on June 21 and 22, an environmental monitoring system for the Bourne Tidal Test Site will demonstrated and, in the process, the first tidal turbine will be installed at the test site.

The system, which will include several advanced marine sensors as well as a concept tidal turbine, will be installed on the Bourne Tidal Test Site (BTTS) structure, located near the RR bridge on the Bourne side of the Cape Cod Canal.

On Monday June 21 two sensors will be installed to monitor water conditions and fish behavior.  A video camera will be installed to monitor the turbine and fish around it. However, since video cameras require lights to work in darkness and these change fish behavior, an acoustic camera will also be deployed. Acoustics use sound to image. These are being placed on the BTTS to measure the tidal currents and observe the seabed in advance of installing a tidal turbine on the next day.

The Tidal Turbine is a conceptual design provided at no cost by Littoral Power Systems, Inc. of New Bedford.

The demonstration is funded by the Seaport Economic Council, but depends on loaned equipment to keep costs down. The grant is funding a partnership between the Falmouth Economic Development Industrial Corporation and the Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative (MRECo).