Orbital Marine Power
Orbital Marine Power designs and operates floating tidal stream turbines, including the world's most powerful 2MW+ O2 turbine. The company generates revenue through UK CfD contracts, PPAs with utilities such as Nova Scotia Power, technology licensing, and equipment supply, serving national grids and provincial energy authorities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersKirkwall, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Orbital Marine Power does
Orbital Marine Power is a UK-based tidal energy technology company founded in 2002 (originally as Scotrenewables Tidal Power Limited) and headquartered in Orkney, Scotland. The company designs and operates floating tidal stream turbines that capture kinetic energy from tidal currents, with its current flagship O2 turbine rated at 2MW+ and recognized as the world's most powerful operational tidal turbine. The proprietary platform features a 74m floating superstructure with twin 1MW turbines, retractable leg structures enabling low-cost surface-level maintenance, and 360-degree blade pitching control that captures power from both tidal directions.
The company monetizes through multiple revenue streams: UK Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions securing 15-20 year fixed-price revenue contracts, Power Purchase Agreements with utilities including Nova Scotia Power, technology licensing to international partners (e.g., Eauclaire Tidal for Canadian deployment), and equipment supply to project developers. Its target customer base comprises national utilities and grid operators seeking predictable baseload renewable energy, provincial/state energy authorities developing domestic tidal resources, and community or remote/island energy projects. Orbital has secured a forward project pipeline of 32MW across 13 turbines in the UK and Canada, with the planned Westray Tidal Array in Orkney envisioning up to 70 turbines generating 170MW.
The business operates with approximately 30-32 staff across Orkney and Edinburgh offices, co-located with the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) test infrastructure. Strategic partners include TechnipFMC for global commercialization, SKF for integrated power train supply, ITM Power for hydrogen integration, and Invinity for battery storage pairing. The company is pursuing IECRE certification for its next-generation O2-X turbine (2.4MW) and is expanding into the US market, supported by approximately £25M+ in cumulative funding from crowdfunding, government grants, and strategic equity investors including Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish National Investment Bank, and TechnipFMC.
Orbital Marine Power firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Orbital Marine Power
- Legal name
- Orbital Marine Power Ltd
- Website
- https://orbitalmarine.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Orbital Marine Power designs and operates floating tidal stream turbines, including the world's most powerful 2MW+ O2 turbine. The company generates revenue through UK CfD contracts, PPAs with utilities such as Nova Scotia Power, technology licensing, and equipment supply, serving national grids and provincial energy authorities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Orbital Marine Power industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tidal Stream Energy Equipment
- NAICS
- Turbine and Turbine Generator Set Units Manufacturing (333611)
- SIC
- Engines & Turbines (3510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tidal Stream Power Generation (In-Stream Turbines) (EUACAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Marine & Hydrokinetic R&D (Tidal, Wave, River Current, OTEC) (EUAMAOAD)
Keywords
Where Orbital Marine Power is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kirkwall
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Orbital Marine Power business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Contract for Difference (CfD) Revenue: Orbital secures long-term CfD contracts from UK government renewable energy auctions. These contracts guarantee a fixed strike price for electricity generated over 15-20 year periods, providing revenue certainty for project financing and operation.
- Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): Direct electricity sales through PPAs with utilities such as Nova Scotia Power for Canadian projects and UK grid operators. Revenue based on MWh generated at contracted rates.
- Technology Licensing: Licensing Orbital's floating turbine technology to international partners like Eauclaire Tidal for deployment in global markets including Canada and the United States.
- Equipment Supply: Supply of turbines and components for project developers. Project pipeline involves building approximately £200 million of equipment with ~70% UK supply chain content.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) target under £200/MWh for first O2 turbine |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Orbital Marine Power product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Orbital Marine Power designs, manufactures, and operates floating tidal stream turbines that convert kinetic energy from tidal currents into predictable, low-carbon electricity. Its flagship O2 turbine (2MW+) is operational in Orkney, Scotland since July 2021, while the next-generation O2-X (2.4MW) is advancing through IECRE certification for deployment in the UK, Canada, and the US. The company sells and licenses its proprietary floating turbine platform and develops utility-scale tidal energy projects with grid connections.
Product overview
Orbital Marine Power offers a portfolio of floating tidal turbine products and projects. The core product is the O2 turbine, currently the world's most powerful tidal turbine at 2MW+, with the next-generation O2-X (2.4MW) in certification. The company develops tidal energy projects including the planned Westray Tidal Array (170MW) and participates in collaborative research projects (FORWARD2030, TIGER, MAXBlade) that integrate tidal power with battery storage and hydrogen production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- O2: The world's most powerful tidal turbine, operational since July 2021 in Orkney, Scotland. A 74m long floating superstructure supporting two 1MW turbines for 2MW nameplate power output.
- O2-X
Products and services
- O2 Floating Tidal Turbine The O2 is a 74m floating tidal turbine with twin 1MW rotors generating 2MW+ nameplate power, operational in Orkney waters since July 2021 and connected to the UK grid. It supplies clean electricity equivalent to the demand of approximately 2,000 UK homes.
- O2-X Tidal Energy Converter The O2-X is Orbital's next-generation floating tidal energy converter designed to generate 2.4MW of predictable renewable energy, intended for deployment in the UK, Canada, and the US markets.
- MAXBlade Composite Blade System MAXBlade is an EU-funded blade innovation programme developing composite blade technology (including 10m blades with 600m² swept area) for tidal turbines, supplying blade systems for Orbital's turbines and the broader marine energy industry.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,000 UK homes powered per 2MW turbine
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Orbital Marine Power
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Orbital Marine Power technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature5 records
Orbital Marine Power partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.
- TechnipFMCflagshipStrategic partnership and investment to accelerate global commercialization of Orbital's tidal energy technology. TechnipFMC became a shareholder and provides integrated offshore energy expertise.
- Eauclaire TidalflagshipCanadian tidal developer partnership for deployment of Orbital's O2-X turbines at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy (FORCE) in Nova Scotia, Canada. Secured tidal energy licenses and PPAs with Nova Scotia Power.
- European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC)flagshipHost of O2 turbine at Fall of Warness test site in Orkney. EMEC facilitates demonstration projects and provides infrastructure for tidal energy testing and validation.
- SKFcoreSupply of fully integrated power trains for O2 turbine including nacelles and pitching hubs. Long-standing partnership since 2011 with component supply for previous turbines.
- TEXO GroupcoreMain manufacturing contractor for O2 turbine construction at quayside facilities in Dundee, Scotland. Multi-million-pound contract for flagship project.
- FAUN TrackwaysupportingFabrication of four steel anchor structures and bespoke mooring connectors for O2 turbine at facilities in Llangefni, North Wales.
- A C Marine & CompositessupportingManufacturing of 10m composite blades for both O2 rotors (four blades total) providing over 600m² swept area at facilities in Gosport, Hampshire.
- FORWARD2030 ConsortiumflagshipEU-funded €26.7m project (€20.5m grant) led by Orbital to accelerate commercial deployment of floating tidal energy. Partners include EMEC, LABORELEC, University of Edinburgh, and MaREI Centre.
- TIGER Project ConsortiumcoreInterreg France (Channel) England Programme €46.8m project demonstrating tidal stream energy across French and UK waters with 19 organizations including Orbital.
- ITM PowersupportingPartner in ITEG project providing 670 kW electrolyzer for green hydrogen production integrated with O2 tidal turbine and Invinity battery storage.
- Invinity Energy SystemssupportingProvider of vanadium flow batteries integrated with O2 tidal turbine in world-first demonstration combining tidal power, battery storage, and hydrogen production.
- Designworks (BMW Group)supportingStrategic design partnership producing futuristic vision for Orbital's OA utility-scale model and Riverkinetic consumer model, combining engineering with advanced design simulation.
- Black & VeatchsupportingLead engineering partner for technology optimization and cost reduction under €5m R&D programme, creating digital twin of turbine design for performance modeling.
- Global Energy GroupsupportingPreferred supplier agreement for marine operations and services supporting Orbital's tidal energy projects.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Orbital Marine Power competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sabella: French tidal turbine developer (formerly in Brittany) focused on floating and seabed-mounted tidal devices for European coastal sites. Comparable as a European sub-MW/MW-scale tidal stream turbine competitor in the same commercialization stage.
- Nova Innovation: Edinburgh-based tidal energy company operating the Shetland Tidal Array, Europe's first grid-connected tidal array. Directly comparable as a Scotland-based small-scale tidal turbine operator serving utility customers with multi-unit arrays.
- ANDRITZ Hydro (Hammerfest Strøm): ANDRITZ acquired Hammerfest Strøm, a Norwegian tidal stream turbine developer behind the HS1000 device deployed at EMEC. Directly comparable as a competing floating/subsea tidal turbine OEM with utility-scale ambitions.
- Minesto: Swedish developer of tidal and ocean current 'kite' technology, with utility-scale projects in the Faroe Islands and Wales. Comparable as a marine energy technology developer pursuing predictable, baseload renewable generation with similar OEM-like go-to-market.
- Simec Atlantis Energy: UK-listed tidal stream developer with MeyGen (the world's largest tidal stream array) in Scotland. Directly comparable as a UK-headquartered tidal turbine developer targeting utility-scale deployments and CfD contracts.
Broad incumbents
- Vestas: World-leading offshore wind turbine manufacturer with comparable OEM economics, supply chain scale, and utility offtake model. Reference comparable for what scaled floating-turbine OEM economics could look like.
- Wärtsilä: Finnish marine energy and propulsion major with significant offshore/marine services footprint. Comparable as a marine-focused power systems incumbent with adjacent grid-scale energy offerings and services capability.
- GE Vernova (Renewable Energy): Global renewable energy OEM (formerly GE Renewable Energy) covering wind, hydro, and grid. Comparable as a broad incumbent with marine/hydrokinetic R&D exposure and utility-scale OEM capability that could expand into tidal.
Emerging players
- Hydroquest: French developer of floating tidal stream turbines (including the Hydroquest D10) targeting European and Channel markets. Comparable as a smaller floating tidal turbine developer in adjacent geographies with similar CfD/PPA-style project development.
- Magallanes Renovables: Spanish developer of the ATIR floating tidal platform targeting European sites. Comparable as an emerging floating tidal platform OEM at similar pre-commercial deployment stage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Orbital Marine Power social profiles
Digital presenceOrbital Marine Power compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Orbital Marine Power financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Orbital Marine Power leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Orbital Marine Power funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds8 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Orbital Marine Power M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Orbital Marine Power
What does Orbital Marine Power do?
Orbital Marine Power designs, manufactures, and operates floating tidal stream turbines that convert kinetic energy from tidal currents into predictable, low-carbon electricity. Its flagship O2 turbine (2MW+) is operational in Orkney, Scotland since July 2021, while the next-generation O2-X (2.4MW) is advancing through IECRE certification for deployment in the UK, Canada, and the US. The company sells and licenses its proprietary floating turbine platform and develops utility-scale tidal energy projects with grid connections.
Is Orbital Marine Power a public or private company?
Orbital Marine Power is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Orbital Marine Power founded?
Orbital Marine Power was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Orbital Marine Power based?
Orbital Marine Power is headquartered in Kirkwall, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Orbital Marine Power make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Contract for Difference (CfD) Revenue is the primary driver. The others are power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), technology Licensing and equipment Supply.
Who are Orbital Marine Power's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sabella, Nova Innovation, ANDRITZ Hydro (Hammerfest Strøm), Minesto and Simec Atlantis Energy. Broad incumbents are Vestas, Wärtsilä and GE Vernova (Renewable Energy). Emerging players are Hydroquest and Magallanes Renovables.
Does Orbital Marine Power have an API?
No public API is recorded for Orbital Marine Power.
What industry is Orbital Marine Power in?
Orbital Marine Power's product category is Tidal Stream Energy Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUACAJAB, Tidal Stream Power Generation (In-Stream Turbines), with a secondary code of EUAMAOAD, Marine & Hydrokinetic R&D (Tidal, Wave, River Current, OTEC). Its NAICS code is 333611 and its SIC code is 3510.