Overview:

Due to their remoteness or to subsea conditions, some islands are not connected to the mainland power grid. The same can be said for populations or industrial sites in areas very remote from classic power production sites and supply networks. This requires an isolated power grid to be set up.

Our analysis:

On these sites, the need for a reliable, autonomous power supply has led to the installation of thermal electricity production units (diesel-powered, polluting, high fuel consumption generators).

These generator sets are heavily dependent on the delivery of fossil fuel (fuel oil, gas, coal). The energy model of insular or remote sites is therefore highly sensitive to the costs of fuel supplies and transport from the continent, sometimes over very long distances (e.g. atolls of the Pacific Ocean).

Certain islands connected to the mainland grid, via submarine cables, encounter problems related to the reliability of their power supply, as it is vulnerable to severe weather events and damage caused for instance by fishing (trawling) or ship’s anchors…

The difficulty involved in the installation of certain renewable energies, due to social resistance or specific environmental protection initiatives which apply to the islands (architectural, natural, landscape…), can also limit these sites’ choice of energy solution.

Our solution:

SABELLA proposes an island energy model that frees islands from their heavy dependence on their high carbon energy production method. Tidal turbines are a renewable and predictable energy source, that significantly reduce the carbon dependence of these sites’ power supply.

These turbines are subject to tidal cycles. To limit the effect of these cycles and maximise the contribution to the island’s power supply, SABELLA designs hybrid installations combining tidal turbines and storage units.

The SABELLA solution deploys a patented technology placed on the seafloor, securing it excellent social and environmental acceptance.