Orkney tidal outfit Scotrenewables has notched 3 gigawatt-hours of generation from its 2MW floating turbine in the past 12 months.
The Kirkwall company said the SR2000 tidal device installed at the European Marine Energy Centre’s Fall of Warness site has at times supplied 25% of Orkney power demand.
Scotrenewables claimed 3GWh is more than that generated by the entire wave and tidal energy sectors in Scotland in the 12 years prior to the launch of the SR2000 in 2016.
“Despite being an R&D project, and it being our first full scale turbine, its first year of testing has delivered a performance level approaching that of widely deployed mature renewable technologies,” said chief executive Andrew Scott.
“The ability to easily access the SR2000 for routine maintenance has been a significant factor in our ability to generate electricity at such levels over the past 12 months, including over winter.”
Scotrenewables plans to build a second 2MW turbine later this year with support from the EU’s Horizon 2020 scheme.
Scott criticised UK government policy for failing to provide targeted revenue support for wave and tidal, as given previously to offshore wind, to allow it to progress through the cost curve.
“We are dismayed that there is a total lack of market support here in the UK for our technology and we have no option but to focus our business on overseas opportunities.”
Image: SR2000 (Scotrenewables)
Scots tidal hits milestone
By EBS