An Australian defence industry manufacturer has made major contributions to the development of commercialised tidal power generation.

The SeaUrchin project was awarded top honours in the annual Engineering Excellence Awards, sponsored by the Newcastle Division of Engineers Australia.

ATSA’s defence-based project management techniques supported the on-time development of an innovative design for a 2kW Permanent Magnet Axial Flux generator for the tidal energy generator, a revolutionary technology designed to economically capture the vast kinetic energy of the world’s ocean streams, tidal currents and river flows.

The axial flux generator was prototyped and manufactured at the ATSA facility at Thornton, New South Wales, and then integrated into the SeaUrchin turbine.

ATSA director Darren Burrowes says, “We were engaged by Elemental Energy Technologies Limited in support of the design, development and test program for the SeaUrchin.”

The capabilities and experience from our work on the “HUON” Class Minehunter Coastal were used to plan and successfully conduct generator sea trials at Newcastle and Sydney.

“ATSA is typical of small defence suppliers who have responded to the need for SMEs to translate skills to commercial applications. Our participation in the success of SeaUrchin demonstrates the skills and capabilities we have developed in defence work are being applied to emerging opportunities in CleanTech,” Darren says.