The O2 tidal turbine off the east coast of Orkney, said to be the most powerful tidal turbine in the world, has successfully connected to the grid.
A 74 meter, 2MW unit, the turbine is expected to produce enough power for 2,000 homes, as well as supply power for a green hydrogen electrolyser on shore to ‘demonstrate decarbonisation of wider energy requirements’, according to Orbital. The floating turbine is anchored at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, with subsea cables connecting the unit to onshore power networks.
In a press release, Orbital CEO Andrew Scott, said: “This is a major milestone for the O2 and I would like to commend the whole team at Orbital and our supply chain for delivering this pioneering renewable energy project safely and successfully.”
“Our vision is that this project is the trigger to the harnessing of tidal stream resources around the world to play a role in tackling climate change whilst creating a new, low-carbon industrial sector,” he added.
The unit was manufactured in Dundee, and is Orbital’s first commercial turbine. It is expected to produce power to homes and the onshore electrolyser for the next 15 years.
“With our abundant natural resources, expertise and ambition, Scotland is ideally-placed to harness the enormous global market for marine energy whilst helping deliver a net-zero economy,” said Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Michael Matheson of Scottish Government. “That’s why the Scottish Government has consistently supported the marine energy sector for over 10 years, including through the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge fund, which provided £3.4m for this project.”
In addition to the government funding, the project also received financial support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The firm reportedly now plans to bring its technology to wider commercialisation through the ‘deployment of multi-MW arrays’.
