Orbital Marine Power, a company that focuses on creating floating tidal turbines, has presented the design for its latest model — the Orbital O2 2MW. The 73m long floating superstructure will be capable of generating 2 MW of energy using both tidal stages without changing the orientation of the vessel.
Orbital O2 has two 20 meter rotors that can be easily raised for maintenance without the use of specialized ships. The turbine's systems are easily accessible and can be adjusted or repaired on site by a small maintenance crew.
The newest model, which will hit the market in 2020, is designed for volume manufacturing and, its creators hope, will thus make tidal energy more affordable for businesses.
Orbital Marine Power's previous floating tidal turbine, the SR-2000, entered production in 2016 and showed impressive results, generating 3GWh. By comparison, the Orbital O2 2MW is expected to have a smaller draught, which will allow it to be transportable even by medium-sized workboats, further reducing maintenance and launch costs.
