QED Naval
QED Naval Limited is an Edinburgh-based tidal energy technology company that develops and licenses the Subhub submersible tidal platform and Tocardo turbines, serving UK and European marine renewable project developers, utilities, and coastal industrial operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What QED Naval does
QED Naval Limited is a privately held Edinburgh-based naval-architecture and tidal-energy technology company founded in 2008 by Jeremy Smith, employing 12+ staff across its Edinburgh HQ and Holyhead operations base. Its core product is the Subhub tidal platform — a submersible gravity-based foundation with a proprietary seawater ballasting system that enables self-installation, self-retrieval, and self-alignment to tidal flow using harbor tugs rather than heavy-lift vessels, reducing deployment and maintenance costs by more than 60% and lifting site yields by up to 48% versus conventional foundations. The platform ships in three generations spanning 150kW community-scale (Gen-01) through 2-4MW utility-scale (Gen-03), and pairs with Tocardo tidal turbines acquired via a JV with Inyanga/HydroWing (T-01 community through T-03/T-04 utility, 50kW to 1MW+) whose technology has operated in Dutch storm barriers for over a decade.
The commercial model blends asset-heavy project development (equity positions on the company's own sites, including a wholly-owned subsidiary Mor Energy Limited holding 4.5MW + 5.5MW of UK CfD capacity at the Morlais site in North Wales) with planned asset-light revenue from Subhub manufacturing licensing, dividends from Tocardo turbine sales, recurring remote-monitoring subscriptions, and front-end design and project-management services. Revenue support is underwritten by UK Contracts for Difference (AR5 at £198/MWh, plus AR7a expansion) and EU Interreg grant funding (€29.9m ERDF for the TIGER programme, 2019-2023), and the engineering stack is anchored by an in-house hydrodynamic design tool called TWEET, developed with the University of Edinburgh and the Scottish Association of Marine Science. Customers and partners include the UK Government, Menter Môn Morlais Ltd, EMEC, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Orbital Marine Power, Minesto, EDF Hydro, and Normandie Hydroliennes, with expansion named into England, Wales, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, China, and Chile, and a future-revenue optionality on green hydrogen production tied to tidal energy's near-constant generation profile.
QED Naval firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- QED Naval
- Legal name
- QED Naval Limited
- Website
- https://qednaval.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- QED Naval Limited is an Edinburgh-based tidal energy technology company that develops and licenses the Subhub submersible tidal platform and Tocardo turbines, serving UK and European marine renewable project developers, utilities, and coastal industrial operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
QED Naval industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tidal Energy Technology
- NAICS
- Ship and Boat Building (33661), Ship and Boat Building (3366)
- SIC
- Engines & Turbines (3510), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tidal Stream Power Generation (In-Stream Turbines) (EUACAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Offshore Wind Substructures & Marine Engineering (Monopiles, Jackets, Floating) (EUAMACAE)
Keywords
Where QED Naval is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
QED Naval business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subhub Manufacturing Licenses: Revenue generated from licensing the manufacture of Subhub tidal platforms to third-party producers.
- Tocardo Turbine Sales Dividends: Dividends from Tocardo turbine sales, structured through the partially-owned subsidiary Tocardo BV.
- Remote Monitoring Services: Recurring, long-term income streams from remote monitoring of energy and data from deployed tidal installations.
- Front-End Design and Project Management: Engineering and project management services for tidal energy project development.
- Project Development and Equity: Initially operating as developer with equity positions on company sites, operating sites until proven, then selling to generate capital for further development.
- Hydrogen Generation: Future revenue opportunity from producing Green Hydrogen given tidal energy's near-constant generation profile.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Contract for Difference (CfD) strike price for tidal energy capacity |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
QED Naval product offering
Product offeringCore offering
QED Naval develops and licenses the Subhub Tidal Platform, a submersible gravity-based foundation system that supports tidal turbines through their full lifecycle. Using a proprietary seawater ballasting system, the Subhub self-installs and self-retrieves using commonly available harbor tugs, eliminating the need for expensive heavy-lift vessels. The company also markets Tocardo tidal turbines (acquired via JV with Inyanga/HydroWing) and provides front-end design, project management, and remote monitoring services for tidal energy developers.
Product overview
QED Naval is a tidal energy technology company offering the Subhub tidal platform as its core product, a submersible gravity-based foundation system available in three scales (Community Gen 01, Industrial Gen 02, and Utility Gen 03). The platform integrates with Tocardo tidal turbines (acquired via JV with Inyanga/HydroWing), ranging from 50kW community-scale to 1MW+ utility-scale units. Supporting the hardware portfolio is TWEET, an in-house hydrodynamic design tool for site assessment and performance optimization. The technology enables self-deployment using harbor tugs, reducing installation costs by up to 60% and increasing site yields by up to 48%. The company is currently deploying commercial projects including the 4.5MW Morlais project (CFD AR5) in Wales and operates the world's largest tidal array at the Dutch Oosterschelde storm barrier.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Subhub: Self-deploying submersible gravity-based foundation platform for tidal turbines that reduces deployment and maintenance costs by 60% and increases site yields by up to 48%. Supports through life from integration ashore to deployment, installation and retrieval for maintenance and decommissioning.
- Tocardo
- TWEET
Products and services
- Subhub Tidal Platform A submersible, gravity-based foundation platform that supports tidal turbines through their full lifecycle. Uses a proprietary ballasting system for self-installation, self-alignment with tidal flow, and self-retrieval in a single offshore operation using commonly available harbor tugs, removing the need for expensive heavy-lift vessels. Available in three scales (Gen 01 community, Gen 02 industrial, Gen 03 utility).
- Tocardo Tidal Turbines A range of tidal turbines (T-01 community scale 50-100kW, T-02 industrial scale 100-250kW, T-03 medium utility up to 450kW, and T-04 utility 200kW-1MW+) acquired via JV with Inyanga/HydroWing with over a decade of operational experience in Dutch storm barriers and a 20-year design lifetime. Sold to project developers and integrated with Subhub platforms.
- TWEET - Tidal and Wave Energy Evaluation Tool In-house hydrodynamic design tool for tidal energy site assessment, performance prediction and yield assessment using high-resolution tidal flow simulations, developed with the University of Edinburgh and SAMS. Used by QED Naval for optimizing platform design and positioning in extreme turbulence sites.
- Subhub Manufacturing Licenses
- Remote Monitoring Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 60% reduction in deployment and maintenance costs
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use QED Naval
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
QED Naval technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
QED Naval partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Inyanga/HydroWingcoreJoint Venture partnership with Inyanga/HydroWing for acquisition of Tocardo turbines and operation of the Oosterschelde Tidal Project (OTP), the world's largest tidal turbine array. JV partner Hydrowing also awarded 10MW tidal capacity at Morlais site.
- Menter Môn Morlais LtdcorePartnership with local publicly owned energy company Menter Môn Morlais Ltd for development of Morlais tidal field off Holy Island, North Wales. Menter Môn developed the fully consented tidal site and grid connection for Subhub deployment.
- Marine Energy WalesminorPartnership with Marine Energy Wales supporting tidal energy development and deployment in Welsh waters.
- Tocardo BVcoreAcquired Tocardo tidal turbines company providing proven Dutch engineering technology with over a decade of operational experience in Dutch storm barriers. QED holds partial ownership through JV.
- Offshore Renewable Energy CatapultcoreProject lead for EU Interreg TIGER project. Leading development and demonstration of tidal energy technology.
- European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC)minorTIGER project partner providing testing and demonstration facilities in Orkney, UK.
- University of EdinburghminorPartnership for ETP TWEET Development project - developing state-of-the-art tidal energy forecasting design tools (TWEET) using high resolution tidal flow simulations.
- Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS)minorPartner in ETP TWEET Development providing detailed turbulent tidal site flow measurements for TWEET tool validation.
- Yarmouth Harbour CommissionminorCollaboration for TIGER project site development in the Solent area near Isle of Wight.
- EDF HydrominorTIGER project partner from France contributing to cross-border tidal energy development.
- Normandie HydroliennesminorTIGER project partner from France for tidal energy development in Normandie region.
- Orbital Marine PowerminorTIGER project partner, fellow tidal energy technology developer based in Edinburgh, UK.
- Minesto ABminorTIGER project partner, Swedish marine energy technology company.
- UK Marine Energy CouncilminorIndustry body representing the tidal sector, acknowledged for representing tidal sector in CFD negotiations.
- WieringerwerfminorLocation in Netherlands where Tocardo turbines are manufactured and maintained, with existing 3 turbines and blade sets in workshop.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
QED Naval competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Simec Atlantis Energy: UK-listed tidal stream developer operating the MeyGen project (world's first commercial tidal stream array) in Scotland. Direct competitor for UK CfD tidal allocations and a benchmark for commercial-scale tidal deployment.
- Minesto: Swedish marine energy company developing tidal kite technology (Dragon Class) and a TIGER project partner. Comparable as a European marine renewable technology developer pursuing utility-scale tidal generation.
- Orbital Marine Power: Edinburgh-based tidal stream developer and TIGER project partner that operates the O2 floating tidal platform (2MW+). Closest direct competitor to QED Naval in UK tidal stream energy, sharing both geography and CfD auction participation.
- Verdant Power: US-based tidal stream developer operating the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) project in New York's East River. Comparable as an in-stream turbine developer pursuing commercial-scale tidal arrays in a different geography.
- Inyanga Marine Energy Group / HydroWing: JV partner that co-acquired Tocardo turbines and operates alongside QED at Morlais (10MW allocation). Direct competitor and collaborator in tidal stream hardware and project development.
- Sabella: French tidal stream developer (formerly Normandie Hydroliennes) and TIGER project partner from France. Comparable European tidal stream technology developer targeting the same Channel/Atlantic resource.
Emerging players
- Magallanes Renovables: Spanish/UK-based floating tidal platform developer (ATIR platform). Emerging peer with a similar floating-platform business model targeting utility-scale tidal arrays.
Broad incumbents
- Andritz Hydro Hammerfest: Austria-based Andritz subsidiary (formerly Atlantis tidal) and broader industrial incumbent in marine renewable turbine manufacturing. Provides tidal turbines including the AR1500 used at MeyGen; competes with QED's Tocardo line.
Others
- European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC): UK-based tidal and wave energy test facility in Orkney, and a TIGER project partner to QED. Functions as an enabling infrastructure provider for tidal technology validation rather than a competitor.
- Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult: UK technology and innovation accelerator for offshore renewables, and TIGER project lead. Acts as an ecosystem enabler and partner for QED's technology demonstration rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
QED Naval social profiles
Digital presenceQED Naval financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
QED Naval leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
QED Naval subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
QED Naval funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
QED Naval 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 QED Naval
What does QED Naval do?
QED Naval develops and licenses the Subhub Tidal Platform, a submersible gravity-based foundation system that supports tidal turbines through their full lifecycle. Using a proprietary seawater ballasting system, the Subhub self-installs and self-retrieves using commonly available harbor tugs, eliminating the need for expensive heavy-lift vessels. The company also markets Tocardo tidal turbines (acquired via JV with Inyanga/HydroWing) and provides front-end design, project management, and remote monitoring services for tidal energy developers.
Is QED Naval a public or private company?
QED Naval is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was QED Naval founded?
QED Naval was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is QED Naval based?
QED Naval is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does QED Naval make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Subhub Manufacturing Licenses are the primary driver. The others are tocardo Turbine Sales Dividends, remote Monitoring Services, front-End Design and Project Management, project Development and Equity and hydrogen Generation.
Who are QED Naval's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Simec Atlantis Energy, Minesto, Orbital Marine Power, Verdant Power, Inyanga Marine Energy Group / HydroWing and Sabella. Magallanes Renovables is listed as an emerging player. Andritz Hydro Hammerfest is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.
Does QED Naval have an API?
No public API is recorded for QED Naval.
What industry is QED Naval in?
QED Naval's product category is Tidal Energy Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUACAJAB, Tidal Stream Power Generation (In-Stream Turbines), with a secondary code of EUAMACAE, Offshore Wind Substructures & Marine Engineering (Monopiles, Jackets, Floating). Its NAICS code is 33661 and its SIC code is 3510.