The Scottish Government is providing nearly €4m in funding towards construction of the world’s most powerful floating tidal turbine.
Scotland-based engineering company Orbital Marine Power has been awarded £3.4m (€3.7m) as the first recipient of the Scottish Government’s £10m Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund.
The funding will be used to deliver the next generation O2 2MW floating tidal energy turbine.
Scotland’s energy minister Paul Wheelhouse (pictured) said: “We have established a world lead in marine renewable technologies and this project represents a significant step forward in technological development.
“We are delighted this landmark turbine, designed by an innovative Scottish company, will also be built in Scotland.”
Scottish company Texo Group will produce the 72 metre-long 02 turbine at its new quayside facilities in Dundee.
Key components will be delivered by Gray Fabrication in Cupar using material from Liberty Steel in Motherwell.
The turbine will be installed at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney.
According to Orbital the 02 incorporates 360-degree pitching control allowing power to be extracted from both tidal directions.
Scotland has an estimated one third of the UK’s tidal stream resources and two thirds of the UK’s wave resources.
Wheelhouse added: “We believe tidal energy technology can not only play an important role in our own future energy system, but it has substantial export potential and this fund will help move tidal technologies closer to commercial deployment.
“However, the large scale roll out of both tidal and wave energy technologies has been harmed by the UK Government’s decision in 2016 to abandon its commitment to provide ring-fenced funding support.
“UK ministers must act quickly to provide the revenue support this exciting and innovative sector requires to achieve its economic potential.”
Orbital chief executive Andrew Scott said: “The O2 project will demonstrate how this emerging industrial sector has the ability to deliver new jobs and open up diversification opportunities for the UK’s supply chain in a growing global market whilst pioneering solutions for a zero carbon future.”
The £10m Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund, which supports the development of tidal energy in Scotland by driving innovation and cost reduction, was announced in February this year and is open until 6 December 2019.