Atlantis Resources Limited has deployed the first AR1500 tidal energy turbine with Lockheed Martin technology off the coast of Scotland.

The installation is part of the MeyGen project, which is designed to harness the motion of the tides to provide sustainable and predictable power.

The Lockheed Martin Atlantis tidal energy turbine.Lockheed Martin designed the 1.5 megawatt AR1500 turbine. In addition to system design, Lockheed Martin developed, manufactured, and delivered two subsystems, the yaw drive system (YDS) and the variable pitch system (VPS). The two elements enable the turbine to rotate autonomously around its base, so it faces into the tidal flow. The pitch angle of the turbine blades also adjusts to optimize the power generation in a given tidal stream.

Installation and connection of the AR1500 was completed in less than 60 minutes. The operation marks one of the first times that a tidal turbine has been installed and connected to the shore instantaneously.

Tidal energy is produced by the surge of ocean water during the rise and fall of tides. Submerged rotors harness the power of the ocean currents to drive generators, which in turn produce electricity.

The MeyGen project is in the Pentland Firth, 2 kilometers from Scotland's northeast tip. Atlantis has a goal to deploy nearly 270 turbines to generate about 400 MW of energy.

In 2013, Lockheed Martin and Atlantis entered into a teaming partnership to develop technology, components and projects in the tidal power sector on a global basis, beginning with the AR1500.