Compact tidal turbine promises affordable power for UK coastal villages

After a hands-on experiment in a Highland river, engineer David Mummery created the 50 kW Swimmer Turbine, a compact tidal generator intended for small coastal communities. The fiberglass-steel unit sits invisibly on the seabed and can be assembled from roughly twenty components delivered in a standard shipping container, allowing local fishermen to install it without heavy cranes. Flex Marine Power, Mummery’s company, moved its prototype work to a repurposed shipyard in Greenock, giving direct access to the River Clyde for sea trials.

Field tests on the islands of Luing and Islay, as well as a full-scale deployment at Strangford Narrows in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, demonstrated the turbine’s ability to power around thirty homes. The project secured £968,000 from the UK government’s Energy Entrepreneurs Fund to develop a commercial version that launches directly from shore. Mummery plans to return to Islay next year to generate electricity for the island, showcasing a model where local knowledge and modest equipment replace large-scale corporate installations.