SKF and Minesto have been pioneering tidal energy over the past year, using tidal kites in the Atlantic Sea outside the Faroe Islands, the companies announced.
The mission is to harness the Moon’s power for predictable and renewable energy.
After its successful launch into the ocean, the tidal kite called LUNA is flying underwater, invisibly and silently harvesting energy from the Moon – no matter the weather. Today, only a few of the countries with favorable tidal current conditions are beginning to use the full potential of moon generated energy — the most predictable renewable energy source on the globe, according to the company.
The established tidal energy facility, a moon energy base, will kick off the Faroe Islands Space Program, firmly grounded on Earth. Luna has a rated power of 1.2 MW, enough to power 200 villas with electricity for one year. The next goal is to implement a new 200 MW tidal energy facility. This could meet 40% of the expected electricity needs in 2030, providing green electricity to the small, remote island nation’s 50,000 people and 70,000 sheep. Unlocking the power of the tides is a joint work together with power company Sev.
SKF was brought onboard to design the bearing and sealing systems for the rudders and elevators of the kites. The SKF software system calculates, for example, bearing rating life and estimates CO2 emissions, which makes it possible to compare different solutions not only from a technical perspective but also from a sustainability point of view.
By framing it as a space program (that never leaves earth), the partners aim to emphasize the importance of exploring how we can harness the Moon's energy to generate renewable energy through tidal forces — amid a new space race where many are discussing the potential of extracting resources from space and other planets.
Tidal and ocean energy facts:
- According to the International Energy Agency, 80 % of global electricity currently comes from fossil fuels.
- By 2050, ocean energy could potentially provide a substantial portion of the energy mix. Ocean energy is local, renewable and tides are predictable, which makes it the perfect partner to more established renewables like wind and solar.
- Ocean energy Europe estimates that ocean energy can provide 10% of Europe’s electricity and create 400.000 skilled jobs by 2050.
