Engineer David Mummery has developed a new small-scale tidal energy generator, the Swimmer Turbine, which he says could benefit coastal communities. The 50kw device is anchored to the sea floor and can generate enough electricity to power around 30 homes.
Mummery, who founded Flex Marine Power, designed the turbine to be ultra-compact and low-cost. He suggests that local fishermen and workers could build and install it themselves from their village harbour, likening the process to assembling flat-pack furniture.
Initial tests for the Swimmer Turbine began in a secret Highlands river in the early 2010s. A prototype was successfully trialled in 2015 on the island of Luing, leading to the company's first major investment. In 2020, full-scale proof-of-concept trials were conducted at Strangford Narrows in County Down, Northern Ireland, in collaboration with Queen's University Belfast.