Demonstrating the 3-in-1 solution to clean energy
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, recently led a groundbreaking demonstration of integrated tidal energy, battery storage and hydrogen production. EMEC is a partner in the EU-funded FORWARD-2030(opens in new window) project that is working to accelerate the commercial deployment of floating tidal energy. The three technologies combined in the demonstration were FORWARD-2030 project coordinator Orbital Marine Power’s O2 tidal turbine, Invinity Energy Systems’ vanadium flow batteries and ITM Power’s 670 kW electrolyser. The event took place at EMEC’s onshore site on the island of Eday. “This world-first demonstration represents the culmination of years of effort to integrate tidal energy, battery storage and hydrogen production,” reports Leonore Van Velzen, Operations and Maintenance Manager at EMEC, in a recent press release(opens in new window). “Bringing together three innovative technologies was a complex challenge, but reaching this milestone has provided invaluable insights.”
Tackling the cyclical with different scenarios
To address tidal energy’s cyclical nature, the project team trialled various scenarios. During high tidal generation periods, power from the turbine was used to charge the battery system, supply electricity directly to the electrolyser and export power to the grid. During periods of low generation, the battery system supplied the electrolyser with power to keep it operating. Effective safety mitigation measures were taken during the demonstration. These included responding within seconds to an unexpected error in the electrolyser system and so preventing a full site shutdown. The successful completion of all planned scenarios proved the integrated system’s flexibility and validated the 3-in-1 concept. It also emphasised the benefits of increased automation to minimise human error. “Running all planned scenarios, responding swiftly to an electrolyser trip and identifying opportunities for greater automation have given us a clear roadmap for optimising future systems. The trial also highlights an alternative pathway for tidal energy in scenarios where grid export capacity is limited, a likely feature in the future as we transition to a fully renewable energy system,” states Van Velzen, going on to share EMEC’s future plans: “Building on our practical experience with hydrogen, we’re now exploring other offtake routes such as synthetic fuel production using renewable hydrogen as a feedstock, a practical solution to decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors like aviation and maritime. This is especially relevant to Orkney, and we’re excited to keep driving clean energy innovation.” According to Andrew Scott, CEO at Orbital Marine Power, the demonstration shows how the full potential of tidal energy can be unlocked through innovative integration. “By maximising generation through battery storage, we minimise curtailment and enable industrial offtake that can achieve higher decarbonisation, creating new markets for tidal energy and providing valuable services like grid balancing. This approach will be key as the tidal industry scales globally while strengthening energy resilience for coastal communities.”
Expanding beyond Europe
FORWARD-2030 (Fast-tracking Offshore Renewable energy With Advanced Research to Deploy 2030MW of tidal energy before 2030) coordinator Orbital Marine Power was one of two companies selected as the sole awardees of new tidal energy licences under Nova Scotia’s 2025 tidal energy procurement process in Canada. According to another press release(opens in new window), the partnership has been granted another 12.5 MW of capacity through two 15-year power purchase contracts, along with associated seabed and electrical infrastructure connection rights. The award signals strengthening investor confidence in tidal stream technology as a dependable contributor to the clean energy mix. For more information, please see: FORWARD-2030 project website(opens in new window)
