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Renewable energy: incredible 680-ton turbine, promises to operate for the next 15 years and meet the annual electricity demand of around 2.000 homes
The world's most powerful tidal turbine, with a rated output of 2 MW, was launched in 2021 and has since started generating power connected to the UK grid, said Orbital Marine Power, the Scottish company that developed the equipment. The revolutionary turbine is anchored in the waters of Orkney Islands and is connected by submarine cables to the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC), located in this British archipelago.
This turbine was so successful that it will now debut in the USA. Orbital Marine Power was chosen in March this year as a technical partner for the Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (THE STAGE) at its proposed location in Washington State. This latest update comes after the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected two marine energy projects to receive $6 million for the development of a tidal energy research, development and demonstration pilot site. One of the two organizations selected by DOE will receive funding to continue developing the project to its full potential after Phase 1 ends.
“While there is still substantial work to be done before we launch our technology in U.S. waters, this milestone underscores the growing global appetite for the pioneering progress we are demonstrating in the floating tidal current space,” said Andrew Scott, CEO of Orbital Marine Power, in a statement.
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Powerful turbine capable of operating for 15 years
The 680-tonne facility, called “O2”, will operate for the next 15 years and will be able to meet the annual electricity demand of around 2.000 homes in the country with “clean and predictable energy” from fast water, offsetting approximately 2.200 tonnes of production of CO2 per year, the company said. Additionally, it will power EMEC's terrestrial electrolysis to generate green hydrogen.
The company's managing director, Andrew Scottt, highlighted that “this is an important milestone for O2” and stated that “this pioneering renewable energy project” was carried out “safely and successfully”. “Our vision is for this project to be the trigger for using tidal flow resources around the world to play a role in the fight against climate change and at the same time create a new low-carbon industrial sector,” he added.
How does tidal (tidal) energy work?
The O2 has a 74 meter long hull structure with two 1 MW power generating nacelles at the end of the retractable leg structures. Its 10 meter blades give the turbine over 600 square meters of sweeping surface to capture tidal energy.
The floating structure is maintained at the station with a four-point mooring system in which each mooring chain has the capacity to lift more than 50 double-decker buses. The machine is designed so that installation of the turbine and all associated moorings can be performed with low-cost workboats and maintenance can be performed with semi-rigid vessels, which minimizes downtime and reduces construction and operating costs.
Electricity is transferred from the turbine through a dynamic cable to the sea floor and a static cable along the sea floor to the local power grid on land.
I'd love to know what you think of this incredible tidal turbine. Tell us in the comments section if you are already familiar with this type of energy generation or if you are a professional in the field. Don't forget to turn on CPG notifications to keep up with all the latest news from the world of renewable energy. To the next!
spectacular
Excellent report on this type of turbine, tidal wave, and the impressive efficiency and power of each turbine. Making a comparison, the Santo Antônio plant in the capital of Rondônia, Porto Velho, needs 50 machines for a total generation of 3560 MW. O2, with just 2 turbines, generates more than 50% of the Santo Antônio plant's total generation at an extremely lower cost. Congratulations to Orbital Marine Power.
You didn't make the right comparison
The power plant only produces 2 MV. To produce the same as Santo Antônio, 3500 bases would have to be installed, as each base only produces 2 MW.
Your calculation is all wrong. This turbine is very inefficient. I guarantee that the energy used to build it (consider its size) would be enough to sustain those 2 houses for 10 years.
Hello, I would like to know how many turbines like O2 would be used to supply a city like Campinas?
Note that each base (02) only produces 2MW.
Very innovative technology with great performance and the planet is grateful with the generation of clean energy. It is good that other countries are adopting this technology. The company and everyone involved in the design and construction of the equipment are to be congratulated.
Yes, innovative technology, but far from being viable yet. If a wind tower that involves less time and lower costs is already becoming unviable due to costs, and look at the current ones that are already exceeding 5MW, imagine the cost of a project like this to produce 2MW.
This designer has nothing to do with it, but there must be a reason yet to be explained.
As for functionality, congratulations.
Grandpa Ervin