Orbital Marine to take its shot at Canada’s tidal stream opportunity

December 6, 2023, by Amir Garanovic

Scottish company Orbital Marine Power has been named as Euclaire Tidal’s technology partner at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE).

Orbital Marine's O2 tidal energy turbine (Courtesy of Orbital Marine Power)

The agreement covers one 2.4MW O2X tidal energy device to be deployed at the FORCE facility in the fast flowing waters of the Minas Passage.

Orbital Marine’s floating tidal stream technology has been confirmed as the device that can be deployed, subject to the required regulatory approvals, following a license transfer and technology change by Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (NRR), signed earlier this year.

The final timing of deployment will be confirmed after a Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) assessment process has been completed, this was recently initiated with the submission of a project Request for Review.

Andrew Scott, CEO at Orbital said: “We are pleased to take these first steps towards working with Eauclaire Tidal on Orbital’s first international project opportunity. FORCE is a world class facility and, if a clear regulatory and long-term licensing process can be established, the tidal stream resource in the Bay of Fundy represents a significant opportunity to decarbonize the Nova Scotia energy system and provide clean, predictable power more widely.”

Eauclaire’s Jane Lowrie added: “FORCE is a world class facility and the tidal stream resource in the Bay of Fundy represents a significant opportunity to decarbonize the Nova Scotia energy system. The O2 floating tidal stream turbine is the ideal technology to deploy as we work together to fulfil FORCE’s potential to be a net export of clean power to Nova Scotian households and businesses.”

Welcoming the announcement, Lindsay Bennett from FORCE, said: “It’s exciting to see Orbital seeking to deploy in Nova Scotia waters and find another partner to help cut emissions and fight the impacts of climate change. We look forward to working with the O2 team on their first North American project and supporting their successful deployment.”

Orbital Marine’s first O2 machine is deployed in the waters off Orkney, and it has been exporting electricity as the world’s most powerful tidal turbine to the UK grid since July 2021.

It completed operational financing in 2022 and is expected to offset around 2,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and power 1,700 homes, while creating and sustaining high value jobs within the local economy over the course of its operational life.