MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021
Global coating supplier Hempel A/S recently announced that it has provided protective coatings to the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, Orbital O2 tidal energy turbine.
The turbine is slated to operate at the European Marine Energy Centre in the Orkney Islands, United Kingdom, where it is expected to supply enough energy to power around 2,000 homes.
“We’re proud to be playing a part in the development of the O2, a groundbreaking project with the potential to help make tidal energy a viable source of energy in the U.K. and overseas,” said Nick Frowen, Managing Director at Hempel U.K. Ltd. “Hempel’s purpose is to shape a brighter future with sustainable coating solutions and we see enormous potential in helping customers like Orbital put the world on a more sustainable path.”
According to the company, tidal currents around the Orkney Islands can reach over four meters per second, making them some of the strongest in the world. To harness this energy, Orbital’s O2 comprises two 1 MW turbines, which together create a 600 m2 rotor area and can generate 2MW of clean, predictable energy.
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Global coating supplier Hempel A/S recently announced that it has provided protective coatings to the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, Orbital O2 tidal energy turbine.   |
Hempel reports that it has been involved in Orbital’s project since its prototype was built in 2015. In addition to supplying high-performance anti-corrosion coatings, the company has also supplied Hempaguard X7 for the O2’s turbine rotor blades. The coating was developed specifically to combat biofouling, such as algae and barnacles, and claims to keep vessel’s hull smooth to reduce drag and lower fuel consumption and associated emissions.
On the turbine, however, the coating will work to keep the rotor blades free from biofouling so they can deliver full power with each rotation.
According to Andrew Scott, CEO of Orbital, collaborations with companies like Hempel have been key to the O2’s development, saying, “We rely heavily on our supply chain to help deliver our pioneering technology such that it exceeds expectations, and in that regard, we are delighted to continue our relationship with Hempel for our novel coating applications.”
The O2 project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the FloTEC project (grant agreement No. 691916) and the European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg North West Europe Program under the ITEG project. This project has also received support under the framework of the OCEANERA-NET COFUND project, with funding provided by national and regional sources and co-funding by the European Union’s Horizon2020 research and innovation program.
Tagged categories: Coating Materials; Coatings; Coatings Technology; Energy efficiency; Hempel; Power; Program/Project Management; Ships and vessels
