The
Cygnet
can
be
deployed
in
deep
water,
operating
completely
submerged
for
periods
of
more
than
five
years
at
a
time,
according
to
the
company.
Developed
in
partnership
with
the
New
and
Renewable
Energy
Centre
in
Blyth,
UK,
the
marinised
device
uses
established
electrical
machine
construction
methods
to
remove
the
gearbox,
creating
a
tidal
turbine
with
only
two
primary
moving
parts.
“Wind
turbines
have
experienced
huge
problems
with
gearing,
with
over
33%
of
downtime
caused
by
gearboxes,”
says
Swanturbines
managing
director
James
Orme.
“We
have
eliminated
this
and
created
a
solution
which
operates…
