Orbital Marine Power has signed up to a second berth at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, paving the way for delivery of its first floating tidal turbine farm.
Scottish tidal energy developer Orbital is currently in the process of manufacturing its first commercial O2 turbine.
The 2MW O2 unit will have a swept area of over 600 metres squared, and will be capable of meeting the annual electricity demand of over 1,700 UK homes.
Orbital was successful in raising £7m in crowdfunding to deliver the first O2 turbine, along with being awarded £3.4m by the Scottish government through the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund.
The first O2 turbine is currently expected to be grid connected at EMEC by the end of 2020 with a view to being fully operational in early 2021.
Securing a second berth at EMEC provides a route for the company to deliver a 4MW floating farm at EMEC’s Fall of Warness tidal energy test site, off Orkney’s northern island of Eday.
Estimated installation for the second turbine is 2022. Power exported from the turbines, via EMEC’s subsea cable and onshore substation, will feed the national grid on Orkney.
Orbital chief executive Andrew Scott said: “We are delighted to have secured this second berth; it’s a vital step towards delivery of our first tidal array.
“This second berth provides us the opportunity to set the vision for how we are going to further the commercialisation of our industry leading technology and accelerate the deployment of tidal energy at scale globally.”
EMEC managing director Neil Kermode said: “The first floating tidal energy farm marks another step forward for the sector which is demonstrating that it will be a vital part of the world’s drive towards net zero.”
Established in 2003, EMEC is a facility for testing wave and tidal energy converters in real sea conditions.
More marine energy converters have been deployed in Orkney than at any other single site in the world, with 20 wave and tidal energy clients testing 32 marine energy devices.