A demonstration combining tidal power, battery storage, and hydrogen production has been completed in Scotland, marking what is said to be the first time these three technologies have been integrated into a single energy system.
The demonstration integrated Orbital Marine Power ’s O2 tidal turbine, vanadium flow batteries supplied by Invinity Energy Systems, and an ITM Power 670 kW electrolyser, performed at the European Marine Energy Centre’s (EMEC) onshore site on the island of Eday in Orkney, Scotland.
According to EMEC, during high generation periods, power from the tidal turbine was used to charge the battery system, supply electricity directly to the electrolyser, and export power to the grid. When tidal generation was low, the battery system discharged power to the electrolyser to maintain its operation.
This approach effectively smoothed out the cyclical nature of tidal energy, enabling on-demand electricity to power the electrolyser for hydrogen production, battery power used to support operations at the Caldale site, the Scottish center said.
“This world-first demonstration represents the culmination of years of effort to integrate tidal energy, battery storage and hydrogen production. Bringing together three innovative technologies was a complex challenge, but reaching this milestone has provided invaluable insights,” said Leonore Van Velzen , Operations and Maintenance Manager at EMEC.
“Running all planned scenarios, responding swiftly to an electrolyser trip and identifying opportunities for greater automation have given us a clear roadmap for optimising future systems. The trial also highlights an alternative pathway for tidal energy in scenarios where grid export capacity is limited, a likely feature in the future as we transition to a fully renewable energy system.”
The demonstration was part of the Interreg North-West Europe-funded project, ITEG, which explored how tidal and hydrogen production could be combined as a solution in coastal areas to overcome grid constraints. It has also been supported with funding from the Scottish Government via Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and by the EU-funded FORWARD2030 project, which has completed a detailed monitoring study into how to optimize the integration of tidal energy and battery storage with hydrogen and other offtake routes.
“Building on our practical experience with hydrogen, we’re now exploring other offtake routes such as synthetic fuel production using renewable hydrogen as a feedstock, a practical solution to decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors like aviation and maritime. This is especially relevant to Orkney, and we’re excited to keep driving clean energy innovation,” said Van Velzen .