9.6MW tidal turbine array to be connected in a world first.
Orbital, along with sector leading project partners, today 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.”
