The Orbital O2 device grid-connected at EMEC’s Fall of Warness test site. Picture courtesy of Orbital Marine Power

Orbital Marine Power’s O2, the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, has commenced grid-connected power generation at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney. The innovative, floating turbine is anchored in the Fall of Warness where a subsea cable connects the 2MW offshore unit to the local onshore electricity network.

This marks a key milestone in the EU’s Horizon 2020 FloTEC project which funded the development of the structure of the O2 device, as well as the design of the blades, power take-off and moorings.

Manufactured and launched in Dundee earlier this year before being towed up to Orkney, the O2 is Orbital’s first commercial turbine and represents the culmination of more than 15 years of world-leading product development in the UK.

The 74m long turbine is expected to operate in the waters off Orkney for the next 15 years with the capacity to meet the annual electricity demand of around 2,000 UK homes with clean, predictable power from the fast-flowing waters.

In a further ground-breaking element of the project, the O2 is to provide power to EMEC’s onshore electrolyser to generate green hydrogen that will be used to demonstrate decarbonisation of wider energy requirements.

Andrew Scott, Orbital CEO, 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 while creating a new, low-carbon industrial sector.”

The construction of the O2 turbine was enabled by public lenders through the ethical investment platform, Abundance Investment, as well as being supported by the Scottish government by the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund.

The O2 project has been supported through funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the FloTEC project and the European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg North West Europe Programme under the ITEG project.

Enormous global market for marine energy
Michael Matheson, the Scottish government’s cabinet secretary for net zero and energy, said: “With our abundant natural resources, expertise and ambition, Scotland is ideally-placed to harness the enormous global market for marine energy while helping deliver a net-zero economy.

“That is 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 £3.4 million for this project.

“The deployment of Orbital Marine Power’s O2 is a proud moment for Scotland and a significant milestone in our journey to net zero. I congratulate Orbital Marine, EMEC and everyone who has made this achievement possible.”

Orbital is now setting its sights on commercialising its technology through the deployment of multi-MW arrays. Supporting this endeavour in UK waters would bring substantial benefits beyond complimenting the clean energy transition, as evidenced in the build of the O2; where around 80% of the turbine was delivered by UK suppliers and operation will bring long-term employment to coastal communities.

As a product of commercialisation costs are projected to fall steeply from roll-out of the technology, as previously demonstrated with wind and solar energy.

Mr Scott concluded: “We believe pioneering our vision in the UK can deliver on a broad spectrum of political initiatives across net zero, ‘levelling up and building back better’ at the same time as demonstrating global leadership in the area of low-carbon innovation that is essential to creating a more sustainable future for generations to come.”