HydroWing, the tidal energy division of the UK-based Inyanga Marine Energy Group, has entered into a binding agreement with one of Perusahaan Listrik Negara’s (PLN) subholdings, a state-owned national power company in Indonesia that owns the national grid. The agreement aims to develop plans for Indonesia’s first tidal current power plant. The 10MW tidal energy project is set to be located in East Nusa Tenggara, within the Indonesian archipelago.
The HydroWing tidal solution features a permanent gravity-based structure paired with a multi-rotor device designed to enhance redundancy and improve energy availability. The system uses a Tocardo turbine, which is capable of operating from any flowing water source. The supporting structure rests on the seabed, relying on its weight stability. The turbines, mounted on “wings,” are lowered into position on this structure. These bi-directional turbines generate power during both the incoming and outgoing tides.
This initiative builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2022, where both parties committed to advancing tidal energy in Indonesia through site identification, resource assessment, and front-end engineering. After evaluating various potential tidal energy sites across the country, the site in East Nusa Tenggara has now been chosen.
According to the CEO of Inyanga Marine Energy Group, Indonesia is considered a prime market for HydroWing’s innovative tidal energy technology. The CEO highlighted that Indonesia’s tidal potential is unmatched globally, owing to the marine currents flowing from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean. Additionally, the funnel effect between the archipelago islands amplifies the tidal energy potential. The pilot project in East Nusa Tenggara is seen as a crucial step for HydroWing and its local partners, enabling them to advance quickly towards large-scale commercial projects across Indonesia’s archipelago.
The project’s development in East Nusa Tenggara will see the PLN Subholding overseeing key activities such as bathymetry, site surveys, ADCP measurements, sediment sampling, and interconnection impact studies. HydroWing will conduct the feasibility study, technology assessments, project implementation schedules, and operations and maintenance (O&M) plans. Both parties will collaborate on the licensing process and the execution of social and environmental studies.
(Source: Power Engineering International)
