The Scottish government has awarded £3.4 million to Orbital Marine Power to help it build the world’s most powerful floating tidal stream turbine.
The Scottish engineering firm has been awarded the funding as part of the government’s £10 million Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund. It will be used to deliver Orbital’s next generation O2 2 MW floating tidal energy turbine, which is due to be installed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.
Scotland’s Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said that the funding would help to move tidal technologies closer to commercial deployment. Scotland is estimated to have one-third of the UK’s tidal stream resources.
“We have established a world lead in marine renewable technologies and this project represents a significant step forward in technological development,” said Wheelhouse. Development of tidal energy technologies had been harmed by the withdrawal of funding by the UK government in 2016, he added.
Orbital’s Chief Executive Officer Andrew Scott said: “We greatly appreciate the Scottish government’s ongoing commitment and support for tidal stream energy, and this award will enable us to deliver a truly exciting and transformational project.”
