Tow testing was carried out in three phases during August, September and October in Hull's Albert Dock, UK.

The third set of experiments provided the final, critical, 'proof of concept' hurdle and means that the tidal stream power device will now be prepared for commercial operation in early 2011 at Sammy’s Point in the Humber.

The electricity generated will be used to power The Deep Submarium.

Weighing more than 150 tonnes and 20 m in length with a beam of 14 m, the Proteus NP1000 tidal stream power generator consists of steel buoyancy hulls, a vertically mounted turbine with a 6 m x 6 m rotor, and computer controlled flow vanes within a Venturi duct.

When deployed, more than 80% of its bulk is hidden from view under the water.

Neptune believes, based on the dock test data, that the Proteus NP1000 tidal stream power generator will be able generate at least 1000 MWh/year.