Orbital Marine Power has received approval from the European Commission (EC) to proceed with its EURO-TIDES tidal energy array at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, Scotland.
The project, first announced in October 2023 under Horizon Europe funding, is set to enter the construction phase after receiving clearance following a review of its technology, permits and financing.
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The EURO-TIDES initiative will see three of Orbital’s forthcoming O2-X turbines, alongside one existing O2 turbine already connected to the UK grid, operating together as a single tidal energy farm for the first time.
Orbital will lead the deployment and integration of turbines.
According to the company, deployment of the array is expected to begin in 2028, subject to the completion of its current investment round.
The project is expected to contribute to a potential future pipeline of more than 2GW of tidal energy capacity across Europe.
Once operational, the array is projected to produce enough electricity to meet the needs of nearly 9,200 homes.
Each O2-X turbine is estimated to supply power to around 2,400 homes.
Overall, the combined output could cover roughly 85% of Orkney’s household electricity requirements.
The EC has identified the transition from single tidal turbines to interconnected multi-turbine arrays as a significant step forward for the sector.
While earlier efforts have demonstrated the technical viability of individual turbines, the EURO-TIDES project seeks to prove the potential for operating several turbines as a reliable, coordinated energy farm at a larger scale.
Orbital development director Oliver Wragg said: “The European Commission’s Go Decision for EURO-TIDES is a powerful vote of confidence in both Orbital’s technology and tidal energy’s readiness to move into its next phase of commercial development.
“Having 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.
“This is a landmark moment for Orbital and an important milestone for the wider tidal energy industry as Europe moves from proving individual devices to deploying multi-turbine tidal farms.”
Partnerships for the project include CWD (Center for Wind Power Drives, RWTH Aachen), Énergie de la Lune, ENGIE Laborelec, the European Marine Energy Centre, MaraSoft, Ocean Energy Europe and the University of Edinburgh.
EURO-TIDES is designed to demonstrate commercial-scale operation of tidal arrays, with aims to reduce tidal energy costs, support manufacturing and supply chains, and increase investor and insurer confidence.
