Hempel supplies coatings for tidal energy turbine

Orbital’s O2 comprises two 1-MW turbines which together can generate 2 MW of energy (Source: Hempel)

Hempel is to provide coatings for the Orbital O2 tidal energy turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in the UK’s Orkney Islands. Orbital O2 has two 1-MW turbines and a rotor area of 600m2 that will use some of the world’s most powerful tidal currents, sometimes exceeding four metres per second, to generate power for about 2,000 homes.

The Danish coatings company has supplied the protective coating Hempaguard X7 for the turbine rotor blades. The product was developed to protect subsea surfaces from biofouling, including algae and barnacles. On ships, it minimises hull resistance, a function that it will also perform on the turbine rotor blades.

Nick Frowen, managing director of Hempel UK Ltd, commented: “We’re proud to be playing a part in the development of the O2, a ground-breaking project with the potential to help make tidal energy a viable source of energy in the UK and overseas. We see enormous potential in helping customers like Orbital put the world on a more sustainable path.”

Partners in the project, which has received funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, are ABB UK, Technology from Ideas, Eirecomposites, University College Galway, University College Cork, DP Energy, EDF Energy, SKF and EMEC.

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