Orbital Marine Power has secured European Commission approval to move its EURO-TIDES tidal energy project into construction, marking a major milestone for commercial tidal power development.<\/p>\n
The four-turbine array will be deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, with installation targeted for 2028, subject to completion of Orbital\u2019s current investment round.<\/p>\n
Selected to lead the project under Horizon Europe funding in October 2023, Orbital has now passed a formal review covering engineering, permits and financing.<\/p>\n
The array will comprise three next-generation O2-X turbines and one O2 turbine, which is already generating electricity for the UK grid. The project will mark the first time Orbital\u2019s turbines have been connected and operated together as a single tidal energy farm.<\/p>\n
Once operational, the array is expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 9,200 homes, equivalent to around 85% of households in Orkney.<\/p>\n
Oliver Wragg, Orbital Marine Power\u2019s development director, said the approval represented a \u2018powerful vote of confidence\u2019 in the company\u2019s technology and tidal energy\u2019s commercial potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The project aims to demonstrate that multiple tidal turbines can operate reliably together, helping reduce costs, strengthen supply chains and build confidence among investors and insurers.<\/p>\n
R\u00e9mi Gruet, chief executive of Ocean Energy Europe, said the decision was \u2018much more than a project milestone\u2019 and represented an important step towards commercialising tidal energy across Europe.<\/p>\n
He added that predictable, home-grown renewable electricity could strengthen energy security while complementing wind and solar power.<\/p>\n
EURO-TIDES brings together Orbital, EMEC, the University of Edinburgh and several European research and industry partners. The project aims to support a future European pipeline of more than 2GW of tidal energy projects, helping move the sector from individual demonstrations towards commercial-scale deployment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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