Orbital, along with sector leading project partners, today (Oct 25) announce their selection by the European Commission's Horizon Europe Programme to deliver a multi-turbine tidal energy project, EURO-TIDES*. Key workstreams will focus on accelerating the commercial deployment of Orbital's pioneering floating tidal stream technology.
The project will also bring together expertise from Ocean Energy Europe, Laborelec, Marasoft, European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), Center for Wind Power Drives (CWD) of RWTH Aachen University, Energie De La Lune and the University of Edinburgh.
The EURO-TIDES project will deliver a step change in the wider commercialisation programme for the scale deployment of Orbital's leading technology through targeted work to demonstrate manufacturing solutions compatible with series production, optimisation of long term operation and maintenance programmes while also accumulating accelerated operational performance data around Orbital's technology.
The project will also work to bring forward commercial scale tidal projects in French waters to augment Orbital's existing commercial project portfolio in the UK and overseas.
The European Commission has identified that transitioning from single turbine deployments to multi-turbine arrays is the next important milestone for the tidal stream sector as it moves towards contributing towards net zero targets in the UK, EU and beyond with a unique form of clean, predictable energy that generates like clockwork.
Andrew Scott, CEO of Orbital Marine Power, said: "Orbital is committed to ensuring tidal stream energy makes a material contribution to decarbonising energy systems while supporting a just transition through the creation of a new industrial sector. The endorsement that comes from this selection is a huge boost to that objective while also enabling us, and our project partners, to accelerate that positive vision. We are looking forward to moving forwards with EURO-TIDES at pace early in 2024."
*EURO-TIDES is the EUROpean Tidal energy pilot farm focused on Industrial Design, Environmental mitigation and Sustainability
Media contacts at Orbital Marine Power:
India Armstrong, Marketing and Media Officer: press@orbitalmarine.com / 07810 613 744
Tom Gillingham, Charlotte Street Partners: tom.gillingham@charlottestreetpartners.com / 07741 659 021
About Orbital Marine Power Ltd.
Orbital Marine Power (Orbital) is a visionary, Scotland-based, renewable energy company focused on the development and global application of its pioneering floating turbine stream technology.
The culmination of over 15 years of refinement has resulted in the world's most powerful and advanced tidal stream turbine, the O2, which has been exporting low carbon electricity to the UK grid since July 2021. The O2 is a 2MW+ product capable of being deployed in multi-unit arrays to provide utility-scale, clean energy with almost zero visual impact.
Orbital's innovative approach de-risks the commercial extraction of low carbon energy from fast flowing currents by offering low manufacturing and installation costs. As well as the ability to carry out inexpensive and quick servicing on all major turbine components through a proprietary structural configuration.
Orbital has an established portfolio of further multi-MW tidal stream projects, focused initially within UK waters, built on a global pipeline of multi-GW opportunities.
More information about Orbital can be found here: www.orbitalmarine.com
The inspiring story of the first O2, from concept to power generation, in under two minutes can be viewed here.
About the O2
- The O2 is currently the world's most powerful tidal turbine, able to generate 2MW+
- It was launched in 2021, as the first vessel to be launched from a Dundee yard in 40 years
- Its estimated CAPEX expenditure in the UK supply chain is around 80%, with around 60 full time equivalent roles created through build
- The O2 has been operational since July 2021 and exporting electricity to Orkney grid is expected to offset around 2,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, and power 1,700 UK homes while creating high value jobs within the local economy over the course of its operational life
- Orbital's floating technology captures the strongest tidal and river currents, guaranteeing higher yield. These exist close to the surface, rather than at the seabed.
About the project partners
Énergie de la Lune is an engineering firm in marine renewable energy and oceanographic engineering. Their specialities include assessments of MRE energy potential, environmental studies with wide range of specialities (geophysics, metocean, passive acoustics), European collaborative projects, and consultancy and strategy.
MaraSoft is a family-owned company that develops and supplies a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. A complete maintenance and fleet management system is marketed under the name Marad', which stands for maritime administration. Marad is an affordable, user-friendly, and powerful management system. It can be used without training by most users. Furthermore, Marad is used on more than 4000 vessels in various sectors such as merchant shipping, offshore, fishing, dredging, cruise and more.
Laborelec, an entity of ENGIE Research & Innovation, is a leading centre of expertise and research in the area of electrical energy. Drawing on the skills of 375 specialist engineers and technicians, it provides applied R&D services, technical consulting and operational support, operating across the entire electricity value chain. Its services support a wide range of customers in electricity generation, transmission, distribution, storage, and end-use, with a particular focus on the energy transition and net zero carbon. Laborelec is a global player active in more than 60 countries and has offices in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Ocean Energy Europe is the largest network of ocean energy professionals in the world. Over 120 organisations, including Europe's leading utilities, industrialists and research institutes, trust OEE to represent the interests of Europe's ocean energy sector.
The Center for Wind Power Drives (CWD) of RWTH Aachen University navigates and organises the interdisciplinary research activities at RWTH Aachen University in the area of WT drive train systems. These research activities contain both fundamental scientific analyses and pre-competitive research and development projects.
The University of Edinburgh is one of the world's top universities. Our entrepreneurial and cross-disciplinary culture attracts students and staff from across the globe, creating a unique Edinburgh experience. We provide a stimulating working, learning and teaching environment with access to excellent facilities. We attract the world's best, from Nobel Prize winning laureates to future explorers, pioneers and inventors. We offer a range of ways to study, from on-campus taught programmes to online part-time study. We are the largest provider of online distance learning in the Russell Group of UK research-intensive universities
EMEC is the world's leading centre for demonstrating wave and tidal energy converters in the sea and is pioneering the development of green hydrogen and a clean energy economy.
As a plug-and-play facility EMEC helps reduce the time, cost and risk of testing innovative sustainable technologies. To date, EMEC has hosted more ocean energy devices than at any other site, providing operational, technical and business support to help clients commercialise. www.emec.org.uk
Horizon Europe is the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of 95.5 billion. It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU's competitiveness and growth. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies.
