Beneath the Surface: Our Tether
Beneath the Surface is our technical series, offering a closer look at the key elements that power the TidalKite System. While we can’t share everything, we aim to provide insight into the engineering, innovation, and design principles behind our technology. From critical components to system-wide advancements, this series explores the ideas and technologies that drive our approach to harnessing tidal currents and advancing sustainable energy.
Our Tether:
The TidalKite system harnesses underwater currents like an aerial kite captures wind, anchored to a hydraulic energy converter via a specialised tether. This critical component may look simple, but it is one of several key elements that play a critical role in securing the system to the Power Take Off (PTO) and facilitating essential communication and power transmission.
When in flight, the TidalKite generates immense pulling force through the tether, necessitating robust protection for the internal cables. To ensure the tether’s reliability and efficiency, our engineering team designed a system to minimise strain on the internal wiring, reducing the risk of fatigue failure. The next step was to validate the system’s performance under extreme conditions.
To do this, our technical team conducted a full-scale static test at a specialised facility in The Netherlands. Over the full length of the tether, they applied substantial force—simulating real-flight conditions. The results confirmed our design’s effectiveness: internal cables maintained integrity, power and data transmission continued uninterrupted.
This successful validation represents a crucial milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance our TidalKite system.