The Orbital O2 has become the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, generating enough green electricity to power 2,000 homes for the next 15 years, Energy Source & Distribution’s Rosie Bensley reports.
Anchored in Orkney, an island archipelago located off Northern Scotland, the turbine will offset 2,200 tonnes of CO2 every year. The Orbital is a floating platform, held down by anchors, with rotors that extend underwater to capture the energy of the passing current.
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Orkney provides an ideal home for the company’s first commercial adventure, with some of the strongest tidal flow in the world, exceeding 3m/s. A subsea cable connects the 680-tonne turbine to the onshore electricity network. Orbital Marine Power told BBC that their first commercial turbine, the Orbital 02, is a ‘major milestone.’
Orbital’s chief executive Andrew Scott hopes this milestone is a major step forward for climate change mitigation.
“Our vision is that this project is the trigger to the harnessing of tidal stream resources around the world to play a role in tackling climate change whilst creating a new, low-carbon industrial sector,” he told BBC.
Global CO2 emissions from energy and industry are still on the rise, despite pledges and climate agreements from world powers. Since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was signed in 1992, emissions have increased by 60 per cent.
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The International Energy Agency warns that global energy-related CO2 must be significantly reduced to reach a goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Harnessing tidal power is part of the integral transition to away from fossil fuels, and Scotland is leading the charge.
Scottish Energy Secretary Michael Matheson is optimistic about Scotland’s steps towards greener energy.
“The deployment of Orbital Marine Power’s O2, the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, is a proud moment for Scotland and a significant milestone in our journey to net zero,” he told the BBC.
