Ifremer puts novel Sabella tidal blade through its paces

French marine research institute Ifremer has performed a series of structural bench tests on compatriot company Sabella’s novel tidal turbine blade to determine the weight loads the blade can bear and validate its mechanical characteristics.

The five-metre-long Sabella blade was evaluated on a bespoke test-bench at one of the research laboratories at Ifremer’s Carnot MERS Institute, which trialed its structural integrity by applying a force of up to 60 tonnes – equivalent to the weight of 60 cars.