Orkney tidal turbine maker Orbital Marine Power has unveiled tidal and river turbines designed with BMW subsidiary Designworks.

Orbital-OA-Vision
Orbital OA (right) is the model aimed at power utilities (Orbital has already delivered 3.2GWh to the UK grid) and Riverkinetic is the one for inland waterways.
“The collaboration uniquely combines Orbital’s engineering and marine experience, with Designworks’ expertise in design strategy and simulation modelling,” according to Orbital. “Starting with large utility turbines, the two teams looked at how advancements in hydrodynamic performances, cost engineering and production methods will influence the design of tidal turbines in the future.”
Orbital’s tidal turbines are essentially anchored un-manned ships, made with ship-building techniques, with turbine blades suspended underneath – and are simpler to install that turbines anchored hard into the sea bed.

Orbital-SR2000Its recently decommissioned SR2000 prototype (left) generated the 3.2GWh at the European tidal power research centre in Orkney. It is soon to be replaced by the next-generation 2GW development model ‘O2’ (artists impression below left).
The vision for the OA model, said Orbital, sees turbines becoming less like traditional vessels, and “more akin to autonomous power generation fleets”.
Orbital-RiverkineticRiverkinetic (right) is a smaller lighter readily-transportable turbine tailored to supply communities. “The design and engineering team envisioned a quiet and clean design, in contrast to the diesel generators relied on by so many people in remote locations today,” according to Orbital.
Orbital-O2-tidal turbine“The collaborative work between Orbital and Designworks has been an inspirational exercise, a combination of collective experience and talent across the teams,” said Orbital CEO Andrew Scott.