Hi Mollie - yes for repairs the Triton system is very stable in its maintenance postition (because of the rigid tether to the seabed), so getting on to it is like getting on to a fixed platform. If a turbine needs replacing, you bring in a 50m workboat with a heave-compensated crane on the bow, moor it with a 3-strut system to the Triton and then you can change out an individual turbine. The good thing about tidal energy is that the rotors are much smaller than for wind power (although the loads are higher)... so handling a 1.5 MW turbine and rotor is not too hard, even at sea.
Yes, the Triton swings round to capture the best flow. This means that you don't waste energy (compared to fixed alignment turbines which are those being built at present) and you don't have the loads from off-axis flow, which shorten the life of the rotating parts. I used to design wind turbines, so I know about some of these things the hard way!
Report to a moderator
I wish to report the following item:
by John Armstrong