The bigger picture: Scotland’s 2MW tidal turbine
Image credit: Cover Images
Scotland’s Orbital Marine Power is beginning operational trials of what it claims will be the world’s most powerful operational tidal turbine.
The 680-tonne Orbital O2, which is 74m long, took to the sea on 22 April from the Port of Dundee, where it was assembled over the past 18 months, to begin a two-day journey to the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in the Orkney Islands, towed by Leask Marine’s C-Force multicat vessel. The turbine build was managed by TEXO Fabrication.
On arrival in Orkney the O2 was to undergo final commissioning before being installed at EMEC’s tidal test site, where it will produce up to 2MW of electricity for the grid, making it the most powerful tidal turbine in operation. EMEC will undertake an independent power performance assessment for Orbital, helping the firm optimise the design towards a commercial product.
The turbine has a floating superstructure, with twin 1MW power generating nacelles attached to retractable legs to extract energy from the passing tidal flow. The whole system is designed for ease of servicing.
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