MAKO deploys tital turbine prototype for tests in Tasmania

Sydney-based MAKO Tidal Turbines Pty Ltd, in partnership with the Australian Maritime College (AMC), has deployed a tidal energy turbine prototype in the Tamar estuary in Launceston, Tasmania.

The pair will now investigate the device’s performance and AMC researchers will conduct field experiments with the 2.4-metre-wide prototype, which is secured beneath a floating platform and hooked to a mooring on the east side of the estuary.

“We want to monitor the effects of this particular project, but also understand the processes so we can apply the findings to other potential tidal energy sites,” said AMC project lead Irene Penesis.

MAKO wants to see how full-scale turbines operate in a real-world environment, and more specifically, how turbulence and biofouling affect the performance and longevity of the device.

Dean Cook, CEO of AMC Search, said that an AusIndustry Innovation grant had supported the project early on before numerous local businesses offered backing as well. Those include Multiskilled Tasmania, Tasmanian Ports Corporation (TasPorts), Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST), Brierley Hose and Handling, and Cromarty, Cook added.

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