Kepler Energy

What Kepler Energy does

Kepler Energy is a UK-based tidal energy technology company established in 2010 as a spin-out from the University of Oxford's Department of Engineering Science, where the THAWT (Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine) was developed between 2007 and 2010 by three senior academics. The company holds an exclusive global licence for the technology and has patented the novel triangulated stressed truss carbon composite rotor configuration in multiple jurisdictions. Kepler's core product is the THAWT turbine — a second-generation tidal device designed to exploit the blockage effect in tidal channels, delivering 2-3x the power output of conventional axial turbines at the same site, with claimed levelized costs of £100-130/MWh. The turbine architecture is intentionally minimal — one rotating unit per generator, no yaw or pitch-change mechanisms, four bearings, three foundation supports, and electrical equipment housed in a dry column.

The company's business model combines hardware sales of turbine systems to utilities and government counterparties, long-term electricity generation from tidal fence deployments, and licensing of the patented technology internationally. Its primary commercial focus is a 600MW tidal fence project in the Bristol Channel (initially announced in 2015 as a 30MW project priced at £143m), with a berth secured at the Morlais Demo Zone in Anglesey in October 2016 for demonstration. Customers and stakeholders are concentrated in UK government departments (DECC, Welsh Government, The Crown Estate, The Treasury) and utility-scale energy developers, with international licensing ambitions targeting China, Korea, Japan, and India. Kepler has built a supply chain and research partner network including Newcastle University, ORE Catapult, Altran, Gurit, Mojo Maritime, GE, and Royal Haskoning, but has not yet disclosed commercial revenue or executed utility-scale deployments.

Name

Kepler Energy

Legal name

Kepler Energy

Website

https://keplerenergy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kepler Energy is a UK tidal energy company developing the patented THAWT (Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine) for utility-scale tidal fence deployments, targeting UK utilities and government counterparties with a flagship 600MW Bristol Channel project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tidal Energy Technology

NAICS

Turbine and Turbine Generator Set Units Manufacturing (333611), Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing (3336)

SIC

Engines & Turbines (3510)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEUACAJAB

Tidal Stream Power Generation (In-Stream Turbines)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Electric Power Generation/Marine & Tidal/Wave Power Generation

SECONDARYEUAMAHAF

Hydropower Turbines, Generators & Balance-of-Plant Equipment Manufacturing

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, Hydro & Geothermal)/Renewable Equipment & Component Manufacturing (Modules, Turbines, Inverters, Towers, Blades)

Keywords

• Tidal energy turbines
• Tidal fence systems
• Marine renewable energy
• Underwater turbine technology
• Utility-scale tidal power

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tidal Turbine Sales: Sale of tidal turbine systems to utility companies and government entities for tidal energy projects. The company sells its patented THAWT technology for deployment in tidal fence arrangements.
2. Tidal Energy Production: Utility-scale electricity generation from tidal fences. Levelized costs estimated at £100-£130 per MWh, with the company planning to deploy 600MW tidal fence in the Bristol Channel.
3. Technology Licensing: Exclusive global licence held by Kepler Energy for the Oxford University-developed tidal turbine technology. Revenue generated through licensing the patented technology to project developers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kepler Energy designs, develops and sells the patented THAWT (Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine), a second-generation tidal turbine built around a triangulated stressed truss carbon composite rotor, together with Tidal Fence Systems that deploy multiple THAWT units in linear arrays. The technology is sold and licensed to utility companies, energy developers and government entities for utility-scale tidal power generation, with a flagship 600 MW Bristol Channel project and a demonstration berth secured at the Morlais Demo Zone in Anglesey.

Product overview

Kepler Energy offers a suite of tidal energy extraction products built around its patented THAWT (Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine) technology. The core offering consists of the THAWT turbine, a second-generation device featuring a novel triangulated stressed truss carbon composite blade design that eliminates the need for enveloping supporting structures. Each basic generating unit comprises two turbines driving a central direct drive generator with minimal components (four bearings, three foundation supports). These units can be deployed individually or connected in tidal fence configurations, where their power output increases proportionally with fence length due to blockage effects. The technology is specifically optimized for shallow, lower velocity tidal waters—the most common conditions in coastal waters globally—where first-generation axial turbines are not economically viable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• THAWT: Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine - the company's patented second-generation tidal turbine technology featuring a triangulated stressed truss configuration of carbon composite hydrofoil blades.

Products and services

• Kepler THAWT (Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine) A patented second-generation tidal turbine featuring a transverse horizontal axis design with a triangulated stressed truss carbon composite rotor. It exploits blockage effects in tidal channels to deliver 2-3x the power output of conventional axial turbines, operating bidirectionally without yaw or pitch adjustment and efficiently in lower velocity tidal flows below 2.5 m/s. The basic generating unit comprises two turbines driving a central direct drive generator with only four bearings and three foundation supports.
• Tidal Fence System A scalable tidal energy deployment system comprising multiple THAWT turbines connected in linear fence arrays across tidal channels. A 14 km tidal fence is projected to deliver peak output exceeding 600 MW at levelized costs lower than offshore wind, enabling incremental revenue generation as each turbine is installed during the construction phase.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2-3x higher power output compared to conventional axial turbine arrays in the same tidal site
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Technology Strategy BoardcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2013Awarded grant for development of THAWT (Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine). The Technology Strategy Board (now Innovate UK) provided funding and support for the research program including flume testing at Newcastle University.
• AltranminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAssisted Kepler Energy develop its technology and explore sites for tidal turbine deployment.
• GuritminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerComposites specialist that provided assistance in developing carbon composite turbine structures.
• Mojo MaritimeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMaritime engineering specialist that assisted with technology development and site exploration.
• GEminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvided assistance in developing technology and exploring tidal turbine deployment sites.
• Royal HaskoningminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering consultancy that assisted with technology development and site exploration.
• Newcastle UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted 1:20 scale model testing of the THAWT turbine in specialized flume facilities. Tests measured power output and blade stresses at different flow velocities.
• ORE CatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffshore Renewable Energy Catapult published report 'Tidal Stream and Wave Energy Cost Reduction and Industrial Benefit' supporting the viability of UK marine energy industries meeting government 'Triple Test' requirements.
• Isis InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Oxford technology transfer company that announced the formation of Kepler Energy in October 2010 and facilitated the exclusive global licence for the technology.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Minesto: Swedish developer of the Deep Green underwater kite tidal technology. Pursues lower-velocity tidal flows with a fundamentally different architecture, but competes in the same niche of cost-effective tidal energy from sub-optimal resource sites. Comparable in early-stage commercial scale and EU policy engagement.
• Carnegie Wave Energy (now Carnegie Clean Energy): Australian wave and tidal energy developer with CETO technology. Comparable in scale and stage of development, target of utility-scale marine energy contracts, and reliance on government and grant funding. Both have faced commercialisation challenges typical of pre-revenue marine energy companies.
• Sustainable Marine Energy (PLOCAN/Tocardo): Dutch tidal turbine developer working on floating platform-mounted turbines for lower-velocity tidal flows. Comparable in targeting sub-2.5m/s tidal environments and pursuing similar UK and international demonstration projects, with overlapping academic and policy engagement.
• BioPower Systems: Australian developer of bioWAVE oscillating wave energy converter. While focused on wave rather than tidal, comparable in academic-spinout origin, technology novelty, and pursuit of utility-scale marine energy with similar customer segments (utilities, government) in Australia and internationally.
• Sabella: French tidal turbine developer (formerly Hydrohelix, now Sabella D10). Targets utility-scale tidal deployment off Brittany. Similar early-stage commercial profile to Kepler and competes in the same European marine energy demonstration ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Orbital Marine Power (formerly Scotrenewables): Develops the O2 floating tidal turbine, the world's most powerful tidal turbine. Like Kepler, targets utility-scale tidal power generation in the UK and internationally. Both companies compete for berths at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and similar demonstration zones, and for institutional and government backing.
• Nova Innovation: Scotland-based tidal stream developer with operational arrays in the Shetland Islands. Targets utility-scale and community-scale tidal deployment, directly comparable to Kepler's coastal community and utility segment focus. Both compete for UK government marine energy support and the same offtake markets.
• SIMEC Atlantis Energy (formerly Atlantis Resources): Direct tidal stream energy peer and one of the most advanced commercial-scale tidal developers. Operates the MeyGen project in Scotland using AR1500 axial flow turbines, directly comparable to Kepler's THAWT in terms of end-market (utility-scale tidal power) and target customers (UK utilities, government). Competes for the same UK marine energy project pipeline and policy support.

Broad incumbents

• Naval Energies (formerly OpenHydro): Former tidal turbine developer (OpenHydro was acquired by Naval Group/Areva) that deployed seabed-mounted tidal devices in France and Scotland. A broader incumbent that has shaped the same UK and French marine energy policy environment, with technology that historically competed head-to-head with Kepler for demonstration zones.
• Andritz Hydro (Hammerfest Strøm subsidiary): Major turbine OEM with a tidal stream subsidiary (formerly Hammerfest Strøm, HS1000 device). A broad incumbent in the hydropower and tidal turbine space, providing well-funded competition to Kepler and serving similar utility customers in the UK and Norway.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kepler-energy-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kepler Energy