A structure claimed by Orbital Marine Power as the world's most powerful operational floating tidal turbine has been launched, destined for the Orkney Islands off Scotland. When connected to the European Marine Energy Centre, the O2 turbine is expected to meet the demand of around 2,000 U.K. homes and offset approximately 2,200 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

The tidal turbine has a 74 m long hull structure with twin 1 MW power generating nacelles at the end of retractable leg structures designed to give low-cost access to all major components for through life servicing. Source: Orbital Marine PowerThe 10 m blades give the O2 more than 600 m² of swept area to capture flowing tidal energy.

The floating structure is held on station with a four-point mooring system where each mooring chain has the capacity to lift over 50 double decker buses. The O2 has been designed so that installation of the turbine, and all its associated moorings, can be carried out by low-cost work vessels and servicing can be carried out by rigid inflatable boats, minimizing downtime and lowering construction and operational costs.

Electricity is transferred from the turbine via a dynamic cable to the seabed and a static cable along the seabed to the local onshore electricity network.