Introduction
On April 22, 2021, Orbital Marine Power Ltd launched a 680-tonne Orbital O2 floating tidal turbine from the port of Dundee. With a rated power of 2MW, this turbine will become the most powerful of its kind. Orbital O2 will become capable of generating electricity for more than 2000 homes in the UK. In addition, tidal energy will offset more than 2200 tonnes of annual CO2 production (Orbital Marine Power, 2021). In my opinion, this is a big opportunity for tidal energy to show its potential for countries, suitable from a geographical point of view. This event is also relatable to the subject of renewable and sustainable energy sources, which we are currently studying.
Tidal Energy Potential in the UK
The location of the UK makes it a perfect choice for the widespread implementation of tidal power. The Atlantic Ocean’s waters wash the British Isles from all sides, thus creating an excellent environment for tidal turbines. The UK possesses a sufficient economic, industrial, and professional potential for building tidal turbines without significant foreign components and workforce use. Overall, tidal energy has a chance of becoming a noticeable energy source in the UK.
Challenges and Obstacles
From an economic point of view, the construction and installation of tidal turbines can be a costly enterprise. In the Orbital O2 case, the developers cut the construction costs by utilizing components and workforce from the UK. Furthermore, the turbine has been designed in a way that its installation and servicing can be carried out by low-cost work and RIB vessels (Orbital Marine Power, 2021). Unfortunately, the information about the possible ecological downsides of the project was not presented in any related sources, so the consequences are yet to be seen.
Cost-Effectiveness of the Orbital O2 Project
Since the economic data on Orbital O2 is not present in the open sources, it is hardly possible to evaluate its cost-effectiveness. However, the cost-effectiveness of tidal energy is considered one of its biggest disadvantages. The Orbital O2 project developers tried to mitigate it by cutting the construction, installation, and services costs. Therefore, the most powerful floating tidal turbine could be more cost-effective than the other tidal energy installations, but the traditional sources will still hold the advantage in that regard.
Reference
Orbital Marine Power. (2021). Orbital Marine Power launches O2: World’s most powerful tidal turbine. Web.