Edinburgh-based Orbital Marine Power has secured European Commission approval to build a four-turbine tidal energy array in Orkney.<\/p>\n
The EURO-TIDES project will deploy three next-generation O2-X turbines and one O2 turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre, marking the first time Orbital turbines will operate together as a connected array.<\/p>\n
The company, which says it operates the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, is targeting deployment in 2028, subject to completion of its current investment round.<\/p>\n
Oliver Wragg, development director of Orbital Marine Power, said: “The European Commission’s Go Decision for EURO-TIDES is a powerful vote of confidence in both Orbital’s technology and tidal energy’s readiness to move into its next phase of commercial development. Having successfully proven the O2, we are now taking the next major step, demonstrating that our turbines can operate together as a connected array at commercial scale.”<\/p>\n
The array is expected to generate enough power for around 9,200 homes once operational, with each O2-X turbine capable of supplying approximately 2,400 homes.<\/p>\n
That would be equivalent to around 85% of households in Orkney.<\/p>\n
The European Commission identified the transition from individual tidal turbines to connected, multi-turbine arrays as one of the defining milestones in the commercial development of the sector.<\/p>\n
The project aims to demonstrate reliable deployment and operation of connected tidal turbine arrays at commercial scale, helping reduce costs, strengthen manufacturing capability and build confidence among investors and insurers.<\/p>\n
Orbital is delivering the project in partnership with eight organisations including the University of Edinburgh, Ocean Energy Europe and EMEC.<\/p>\n
The European Commission selected Orbital to lead delivery of the array under Horizon Europe funding in October 2023.<\/p>\n
R\u00e9mi Gruet, chief executive of Ocean Energy Europe, added: “The European Commission’s Go Decision for EURO-TIDES is much more than a project milestone \u2013 it is an important step towards the commercialisation of tidal energy in Europe. It confirms that the sector is moving beyond demonstration and into industrial deployment, bringing commercial tidal arrays closer to reality.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Four-turbine project cleared to move into construction phase<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":8137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[50204],"coauthors":[160],"class_list":["post-8136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-edinburgh-lothians","tag-featured-story","tag-highlands-islands"],"yoast_head":"\n