Hempel Provides Coating Solution for Orbital O2 Tidal Energy Turbine

Date: 10/05/2021

To protect the world’s most powerful tidal energy turbine, the Orbital O2, Hempel provided high-performance anti-corrosion coatings, as well as its Hempaguard X7.

For the Orbital O2 project, in which Hempel has been involved since 2015, when Orbital’s prototype SR2000 turbine was built, the company has supplied high-performance anti-corrosion coatings, as well as Hempaguard X7 for the O2’s turbine rotor blades. Hempaguard X7 was developed specifically to combat biofouling, such as algae and barnacles, in order to keep the rotor blades free from biofouling so they can deliver full power with each rotation.

O2 is set to operate in the Orkney islands (UK), at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), where tidal currents can reach over four meters per second. To harness this energy, Orbital’s O2 comprises two 1 MW turbines, which together create a 600 m2 rotor area and can generate 2 MW of clean, predictable energy. O2 is capable of supplying enough energy to power around 2,000 UK homes.

“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,” said Nick Frowen, Managing Director at Hempel UK Ltd.

“Our ambition is to double our energy business by 2025 with particular focus on sustainability to ensure we are leading the way in enabling all energy projects to maximise efficiency and minimise carbon emissions. By participating in a project as ground-breaking as Orbital’s O2, we illustrate the value of a trusted partner-ship and we demonstrate what our solutions are capable of in supporting increased sustainability for the energy sector”, added David Heal, Global Head of Renewable Energy of Hempel which aims to make Hempel the leader in renewable energy solutions.

“We rely heavily on our supply chain to help deliver our pioneering technology such that it exceeds expectations, and in that regard, we are delighted to continue our relationship with Hempel for our novel coating applications,” said Andrew Scott, CEO of Orbital.