Orbital Marine Power Ltd (Orbital), the Scotland-based floating tidal stream technology pioneer, and operator of the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, has been awarded a further Contract for Difference (CfD) in the UK Allocation Round 7 (AR7) process, resulting in our UK CfD project portfolio increasing to 17MW.
The current UK capacity will join Orbital’s existing 2 MW O2 turbine, which has been providing electricity to the UK grid since 2021, in the waters off the Orkney Islands.
In November, Orbital was successful in adding to its growing UK project portfolio with power purchase agreements from the Canadian province of Nova Scotia that equate to an order for a further 6 turbines (c.15MW) to be installed in the Bay of Fundy, one of the world’s largest tidal stream sites.
Between the UK and Canada, Orbital now has a cumulative orderbook of 32MW, or thirteen turbines, that sit at the front of a growing project portfolio centered in the UK. The manufacturing effort required to deliver against this demand will bring substantial benefits and unique opportunities to a supply chain with proven UK weighting.
Andrew Scott, CEO of Orbital Marine Power, said: “This is welcomed news as we move Orbital and our supply chain into delivery mode, it expands our vision and increases the opportunities around our business while we demonstrate the important role tidal stream can play in energy systems of the future with its reliable, predictable, clean energy.”