The SR2000 floating turbine has generated more electricity in its first year than Scotland’s wave and tidal sector did together in the previous twelve years. At 63m long the massive machine uses submerged rotors to convert tidal energy off Orkney into electricity.

In a year of almost continuous operation, including during the worst winter storms in recent years, the SR2000 supplied the equivalent annual electricity demand of around 830 UK households and at times has been supplying over 25 per cent of the electricity demand of the Orkney Islands.

Andrew Scott, CEO of operator Scotrenewables Tidal Power said: “The SR2000’s phenomenal performance has set a new benchmark for the tidal industry. Despite being an R&D project, and it being our first full-scale turbine, its first year of testing has delivered a performance level approaching that of widely deployed mature renewable technologies”.

With support from the EU’s Horizon 2020 scheme, Scotrenewables Tidal Power is planning to start the build of a 2MW commercial production unit later in the year which will also go to Orkney for testing before the company targets sales of the turbine.

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