Orkney-headquartered Orbital also confirmed it has a grid connection in place to service the pioneering project, which is located adjacent to the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) facility, where Orbital has already deployed the 2 MW O2, the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, under commercial operation. Renewable projects in Orkney were recently given a boost by Ofgem announcing it is minded to approve a new 220 MW transmission connection, to be built from the Scottish mainland to service renewable power exports from the islands.
Following the award of contracts for difference (CfDs) in last year’s AR4 process, Orbital is already targeting the installation of three more of its tidal turbines at the EMEC site, alongside the O2, to expand its tidal generation capacity in the coming years.
In keeping with the company’s strategy of carrying out major aspects of its manufacturing within the UK, the construction of the Westray project would be expected to result in over £120 million of domestic supply chain spend and create hundreds of jobs across construction and around a dozen new permanent jobs locally to provide operations and maintenance services.
The Option Agreement is for 30 MW, which would equate to approximately 12 Orbital devices installed across the site. The waters around Orkney have significant wider tidal stream energy potential and the Westray site offers just one example of how this can be harnessed to provide clean, predictable power.
The Orbital team is engaged with stakeholders and is progressing environmental studies, with a view to reaching consent application as soon as possible. The company also brings the benefit of extensive local operational and environmental data to help shape and inform optimal project design, having successfully installed, operated and monitored multiple floating tidal projects on the neighbouring EMEC site since 2011.
“As the UK looks to accelerate the decarbonisation of its energy system, we firmly believe tidal projects can bring unique benefits while harnessing a perfectly predictable and secure source of renewable energy” said Andrew Scott, CEO at Orbital Marine Power. “We’re proud to be building that vision in Orkney with this investment in our Westray Project.”
Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland, added that progress with Orbital’s Westray project is a vote of confidence in the potential in the isles and demonstrates exactly why expanding grid capacity for Orkney has been so important.
“This good news is also evidence of the need for a more robust strategy from the government on tidal stream deployment, including continued and expanded backing in the next round of Contracts for Difference funding” said Mr Carmichael. “We need to continue to ramp up development in the years to come.”
For additional information:
