Orbital Marine Power presents new turbine design, eyes 2020 launch

Scottish marine energy-focused engineering firm Orbital Marine Power Ltd today unveiled the design of its next generation 2-MW commercial tidal stream turbine, called the Orbital O2.

The company, which was known as Scotrenewables Tidal Power until recently, said in a statement that it expects to have the first production unit of this floating device launched in 2020 and deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland. The Orbital O2 is successor to the SR2000 device, which managed to produce over 3 GWh of power in a single year of operations at EMEC.

The new platform will have a 73-metre-long (239.5 ft) floating superstructure that supports two 1-MW turbines at either side, and a 600-sq-m (6,458 sq ft) rotor area. Other features include a simplified steel structure, reduced unit draught and 360-degree blade pitching control.

“This optimised turbine will unlock tidal markets around the world at a competitive price point and provide regulators and investors with a new, predictable renewable energy option,” commented CEO Andrew Scott.

Orbital Marine Power plans to fund the first production unit with the sum it raises on peer-to-peer finance platform Abundance Investment, a campaign that started in mid-October and has so far secured close to 50% of the GBP-7-million (USD 9m/EUR 7.9m) target. Additional funds should come from the European Horizon2020 and Interreg North West Europe innovation programmes.

(GBP 1.0 = USD 1.287/EUR 1.129)

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