Electricity Goes Green in This Region

The Orkney archipelago located in the North of Scotland, United Kingdom, is now equipped with the world’s most powerful tidal-powered turbine, providing clean electricity to thousands of households.

“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,” says Andrew Scott, Orbital’s chief executive.

It took 18 months to assemble the 680-ton Orbital O2 turbine in the Fall of Warness. An undersea cable runs from the turbine to the 2MW offshore unit, and then to the onshore electricity network. The turbine has now the capacity to meet the electricity demand of 2,000 houses every year for 15 years. The O2 turbine also powers an onshore electrolyzer that generates green hydrogen. The company wishes to commercialize its technology so coastal communities so can benefit from it and create jobs.