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PRIMRE/Databases/Projects Database/Projects/SeaFlow Tidal Pilot Project
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SeaFlow Tidal Pilot Project
The aim of this pilot project was to install the world's first commercial-scale marine current turbine. In spring 2003, Marine Current Turbines (MCT) deployed the SeaFlow tidal turbine 3 km offshore from Lynmouth, Devon. The project location, between Foreland Ledge and Foreland Point on the North Devon coast, was selected because of its 5+ knot spring tide currents and ease of accessibility. The SeaFlow was fitted to a steel pile which was driven into the seabed and was connected to a dump load (rather than to the grid) so as to keep costs down. The turbine had a single 11 m rotor and could only generate electricity from the tide in one direction.
Additional Information
Project Status
Is the project actively being planned or is deployed in the water (active)? Or was the project canceled or completed (inactive)?
Inactive
Project Life Cycle
Project Progress through life cycle:
- Planned: Project has identified a deployment location and is preparing for deployment
- Operational: Project is deployed in the water and is active
- Completed: Project was previously deployed in the water
- Decommissioned: Installation has been fully removed in accordance with regulations
- Canceled: Project was canceled before being deployed in the water
Decommissioned
Max Rated Power Capacity
The maximum amount of electricity that can be produced by project, based on available resources and device nameplate capacity.
0.3 MW
Operational Duration
May 2003 - October 2009
Project Duration
1998 - 2009
Energy Resource
- Tidal
Project Scale
Full-scale
Number of Devices
1
Grid Connectivity
Not Grid Connected
Waterbody
Lynnmouth, Devon
Site Characteristics
Geographic characterization for the project location:
- Open Ocean: Main body of ocean, not enclosed or partially enclosed by land
- Coastal: Open water near the coast, spanning between land and shelf boundary
- Enclosed Bay: water that is partially surrounded by land, with a mouth open to larger water
- Constricted Channel: A channel where water flows quickly due to narrowing by the land
- River: Water flowing from land towards a larger body of water
Coastal
Country
United Kingdom
Last Modified
9 June 2025
This Project has the following MRE Devices
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Citation Formats
“SeaFlow Tidal Pilot Project.” Marine Energy Projects Database: Projects, PRIMRE, United States Department of Energy, https://openei.org/wiki/PRIMRE/Databases/Projects_Database/Projects/SeaFlow_Tidal_Pilot_Project. Accessed <day> <monthRoman> <year>.
Marine Energy Projects Database: Projects. <year>. "SeaFlow Tidal Pilot Project." Accessed <monthRoman> <day>, <year>. https://openei.org/wiki/PRIMRE/Databases/Projects_Database/Projects/SeaFlow_Tidal_Pilot_Project.
