Minesto has taken delivery of the gravity base structure foundation for its first commercial-scale installation of Deep Green technology.

“With the delivery of the gravity base structure, we are making significant progress towards the first installation in Holyhead Deep,” said David Collier, COO of Minesto. “Preparations for offshore testing is in it final stages and we are relishing the prospect of soon being operative in the tidal streams off Holy Island.”

The gravity base structure was floated in the dry dock in which it’s been built on the River Mersey. The delivery marks a milestone for Minesto’s DG500 project, which will see Minesto installing and demonstrating its marine energy technology in utility scale at the Holyhead Deep site off the coast of North West Wales.

Offshore installation of the 500-kW device and the surrounding test setup infrastructure is expected to start in April, with system functionality and capacity tests to be conducted in the second quarter.

“Our ambition is to generate electricity during the third quarter this year,” said Dr Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto. “This is a key milestone in the overall development of the Deep Green technology and the results will enable us to take important steps towards commercialization of our utility scale product line, together with customers, project financiers and funding partner.”

The GBS has been constructed at Birkenhead Docks in Liverpool by Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK.