Go-ahead for multi-turbine tidal farm
The European Commission has issued its “Go Decision” for Orbital Marine Power’s EURO-TIDES array at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. The project will install three next-generation O2-X turbines plus one O2 turbine, the first time Orbital’s devices will operate together as a single connected farm. Once running, the array is expected to generate enough clean power for around 9,200 homes — roughly 85 % of Orkney households.
2028 target and investor signal
Deployment is planned for 2028, subject to final investment. Oliver Wragg, Development Director of Orbital Marine Power, said:
"The European Commission’s Go Decision for EURO-TIDES is a powerful vote of confidence in both Orbital’s technology and tidal energy’s readiness to move into its next phase of commercial development."
The decision also underlines that Horizon Europe funding remains available to UK projects after Brexit, helping de-risk early commercial arrays.
Why predictable power matters
Tidal stream output follows known lunar cycles, offering a steadier renewable source than wind or solar. Recent UK moves to speed clean-tech rollout show the same push for reliable, home-grown generation. We track these developments so you can compare tariffs that increasingly include a growing share of predictable renewables.
Compare current energy deals to see how the mix is changing.
