Scottish firm’s tidal energy converter secures Lloyd Register’s feasibility statement

Marine classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded Scotland-based renewable energy company Orbital Marine Power an International Electrotechnical Commission for Renewable Energy (IECRE) feasibility statement for its O2-X tidal energy converter (TEC).

According to LR, the O2-X, an upgrade of Orbital Marine Power’s O2 turbine currently operating in Scotland’s Fall of Warness, is designed to generate 2.4 MW of tidal energy. Orbital Marine Power plans deployments in the UK, Canada, and the US, aiming to scale up tidal energy for offshore operations, coastal infrastructure, and maritime electrification.

As the only renewable energy certification body (RECB) with a marine energy scope, LR said it assessed the O2-X through a ten-day technology qualification (TQ) workshop. The process involved 11 LR specialists and 22 Orbital Marine Power technical experts, following IEC TS 62600-4 standards. 

The review led to the development of a TQ Plan outlining further qualification steps for reliability, efficiency, and safety assurance. LR then issued the IECRE feasibility statement, the first stage in the IECRE certification pathway.

“In awarding Orbital with an IECRE Feasibility Statement, we recognise an important milestone in the certification of a pioneering tidal energy technology. Their rigorous engineering approach underscores the UK’s position at the forefront of the marine renewable sector,” said Winston D’Souza, Global Technical Authority for Offshore Renewables at LR.

“As they progress towards full IECRE certification, LR looks forward to continuing our support for Orbital and the wider integration of tidal energy technology into the power grids they are connected to.”

Orbital Marine Power’s O2-X tidal energy converter builds on the company’s existing O2 turbine, introducing key upgrades to enhance performance and scalability. Designed to operate in water depths of at least 30 meters LAT, the O2-X features an 83-meter hull and a displacement of 900 tonnes. The system is anchored using a flexible setup of either drilled or gravity-based moorings, ensuring stability in high-flow tidal environments.

Calum Miller, Engineering Manager – New Turbines at Orbital Marine Power, added: “We are pleased to have reached this important milestone in the certification process for our series production model turbine, the O2-X. We welcome the independent scrutiny as a means to both reduce technical risk and to reinforce our stakeholders’ confidence in our rigorous engineering approach

Orbital Marine Power has been approved for a project under the U.S. TEAMER program’s fourteenth request for technical support (RFTS), receiving funding to develop adaptable environmental monitoring packages for floating tidal turbines with support from the University of Washington and MarineSitu. In total, TEAMER allocated nearly $1.9 million to 15 marine energy projects in January.