weighing 1000 tonnes, the turbine is rated at 1.2 megawatts, which is enough to power 1,000 homes and will generate energy sustainability with no noise and zero emissions, (video). It was built by Marine Current Turbines, and it will be the first commercial tidal turbine to produce energy, when it begins operation later this year. The turbine has two 16 meter-wide rotors and will be able to run for 18-20 hours a day. The turbine was installed off the coast in an area known for fast moving waters, and because the rotors will only spin 10-20 times in a minute, it is unlikely to disturb marine life.The £12,000,000 turbine will be fixed to the seabed in the mouth of the lough one of the fastest tidal flows on earth and will undergo a 12-week commissioning process where it’s operation and interaction with sea life will be monitored by teams of scientists. The turbine will be positioned 400 meters off of shoreline in Strangford Lough, which is know for its fast tidal current, and protection from severe weather. The rotors on the SeaGen turbine turn slowly: about 10 to 20 revolutions per minute.
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