A pilot project on ocean energy generation by tidal currents on the northern coast of Taiwan

Keelung Sill is a seamount-like formation, located between the Keelung Harbor and Keelung Island on the northern coast of Taiwan. Due to its shallow depth, the sill constricts the waterway and accelerates tidal currents. It was preliminarily identified that the tidal current speed is as large as 5 knots in some tidal periods. A project was approved to assess the actual capability of the tidal current energy and to develop a 3 kW marine current turbine prototype. This project, starting from December 2009, is a part of the National Science and Technology Program. In 2010, a prototype turbine will be designed and tested in a large cavitation tunnel. In addition to the turbine development, assessments of tidal current power by in-situ measurements, satellite images, and numerical model simulation will be carried out. These assessments will also help us to determine suitable sites for the 2011 field test. Long term typhoon wind and wave data will also be collected to study the extreme forces acting on the planned structure. This is a fundamental project on the research and development of tidal current energy generation in Taiwan. The results of this project may provide the government a base for its future energy policy on the development of the tidal current energy generation.