Background

QED have already built and operated its Subhub tidal platform at sea since 2018, and has proven its installation, retrieval capabilities and O&M strategy. Its enhanced performance characteristics have been well-proven as part of the EU Interreg TIGER project. QEDs partnership in Tocardo tidal turbines has been in operations within the Dutch tidal barriers and sluice gates building up tens of thousands of operating hours over the last decade and most notably in the Oosterschelder Tidal Project (OTP) since 2016 which has generated over 3.3GWhrs.

This tender is primarily to look for a supplier who can provide the number of man-hours to integrate, commission and test the SPCUs. The successful delivery of the tender described in this document could establish a relationship for future plans that include the initial extension from one Subhub ID to a mini-array of five (totalling 5 MW) followed by additional phases to a maximum array size of 30 MW.

The Subhub’s, Subsea Power Control Unit (SPCU) is a dry compartment that houses the power electronics and platform control systems (highlighted in Fig 1). The SPCU acts as a subsea substation and is a critical component to the entire Subhub concept that allows the subsea tidal power plant to operate as part of a fully integrated platform that can be installed in a single, quick offshore operation. The self-installing capability of the Subhub platform means there is no need for specialist heavy lifting vessels, it just needs to be towed into position and ballasted into a dive condition, which makes it disruptive in terms of cost of deployment.

Figure 1: The industrial scale Subhub-ID showing SPCU and general arrangement of the platform.

Scope of work

SPCU Overview

The SPCU will consist of two identical pressure hulls approximately 12m in length and 3.5m in diameter. These pressure hulls are free issue equipment and not part of the tender. Each SPCU will have 3 compartments, 4m x 2.4m x 2.4m inside the SPCU that will house critical systems to the Subhub’s operation. These are but not limited to;
• 350KW power take-off electronics for each turbine (x3 and forms part of the tendered equipment);
• 1MW 690V to 33KV transformer (and forms part of the tendered equipment);
• Subhub platform management system (SPMS) data acquisition system and sensors (is optional but intended to be free issue);
• Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) and oil compensator for the valves and (is optional but intended to be free issue);
• Another HPU for the turbines braking system (is optional but intended to be free issue);
• LP air regulators, connections and air manifold for the ballast system (is optional but intended to be free issue).

Timetable

This timetable is indicative only.  QED Naval reserves the right to change it at its discretion.

If you wish to apply or have any questions, please email us at tenders@qednaval.co.uk for the ITT document and use the tender title above as the subject line.