Minesto Upgrades Dragon Class Technology, Achieving New Efficiency Milestones in Tidal Energy

VESTMANNA, FAROE ISLANDS – Renewable energy innovator Minesto has announced a significant technical breakthrough in its tidal energy operations. Following the discovery that tidal flows in Vestmanna are substantially more powerful than historical models initially predicted, the company has successfully deployed an upgraded Power-Take-Off (PTO) system that significantly boosts energy generation.

The adjustment was prompted by the high-performance capabilities of Minesto’s second-generation “Dragon Class” kite technology. Engineers realized that the original PTO system was unable to fully harness the kinetic potential of the site’s intense currents. By developing and integrating a more robust PTO unit, Minesto has not only increased energy output throughout all tidal cycles but also achieved a reduction in overall system costs.

Validating Theoretical Potential

Recent data from the company’s Dragon 4 unit, named “Saga,” confirms that the new hardware is operating exactly as simulated.

“The published power production data illustrates stable generation that closely follows the intensity of the tidal currents in Vestmanna at the production site,” said Bernt Erik Westre, CTO at Minesto. “We can clearly see that the upgraded Dragon 4 captures energy in proportion to the predicted available resource. Both curves are produced by our Dragon 4 ‘Saga’ in Q2 and Q3 this year; the only hardware difference is the PTO.”

The results mark a critical validation of Minesto’s ability to tailor power plant configurations to specific maritime environments. By aligning hardware output with the actual energy available in the water column, the company has effectively closed the gap between theoretical modeling and real-world performance.

A New Global Benchmark

For Minesto’s leadership, the upgrade represents more than just a mechanical improvement; it serves as a proof-of-concept for the viability of deep-sea tidal energy at scale.

“With the results from this upgrade, we claim to have demonstrated the most efficient tidal energy power plant in the world in terms of energy conversion performance, proven over several months of production,” said Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto.

Edlund noted that the expertise required to integrate these systems into the dynamic and often harsh ocean environment is highly specialized. The success of the Dragon 4 in Vestmanna proves that Minesto has mastered the complexities of ocean-based energy extraction.

“The know-how and technology we have built over the years… has been hard-earned,” Edlund added. “With this new proven performance level, the commercial value of our intellectual property related to Dragon hardware and software has multiplied over the summer.”

As the company looks to the future, this upgrade provides a scalable blueprint for upcoming projects, reinforcing Minesto’s position at the forefront of the marine energy sector. By turning historical environmental “surprises” into optimized operational assets, the company has set a new, higher standard for efficiency in the global renewable energy market.