Successful commissioning of first bi-directional turbine

3rd February 2011

ZIJDEWIND, THE NETHERLANDS / FORSS, UNITED KINGDOM

TOCARDO installed and commissioned its first bi-directional turbine at its testing and demonstration facilities in Den Oever, The Netherlands. After having a uni-directional turbine in full operation and grid connected for 3 years, this new addition with reversible blades is considered to be a highly constructive and significant step towards full scale deployment of commercial offshore Tocardo technology.

The bi-directional functionality can be utilized on all existing Tocardo turbine models (T50, T150 and T500), extending the product range from its current canal and river models to ocean models. The new feature provides Tocardo's customers with a reliable and cost efficient solution for deployment at tidal locations. First full-scale commercial installations of the bi-directional technology are planned for 2011 at estuary and ocean barrage locations.

Hans van Breugel, CEO Tocardo: "We are proud of the successful development and deployment of Tocardo's new technology. It expands the company's commercial proposition, drastically increases the potential revenue stream in 2011 and is a well planned and important step in our way forward towards larger offshore turbines. Furthermore it strengthens the joint market proposition Tocardo offers with Strukton through the project development entity Tidal Power Projects (TPP)".