UK Climate Minister Visits Orkney Clean Energy Facility and Windracers ULTRA 

Kerry McCarthy MP, Minister for Climate and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, visited Orkney on Wednesday 14 August to see the clean energy innovation taking place across the islands including a review of Windracers ULTRA.

Tackling the climate crisis, accelerating progress towards net zero and powering the UK with clean homegrown energy are current priorities for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.

Visiting EMEC’s pioneering clean energy test and demonstration facilities, Minister McCarthy learnt about the important role of emerging technologies such as tidal power, wave energy, floating wind and green hydrogen in the future energy mix and how these solutions can contribute towards making Britain a clean energy superpower. 

Tidal energy, for instance, is a predictable renewable source of power with the potential to provide 11% of the UK’s current electricity demand and replace the role that gas currently plays in the energy system.

Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said:

“It is inspiring to see first-hand the innovative technologies being developed at EMEC, which are crucial to our mission to achieving clean power by 2030. The advancements in tidal power, wave energy and green hydrogen exemplify the kind of homegrown solutions that will boost our energy independence, create jobs and tackle climate change.”

During a boat trip to EMEC’s tidal energy test site, the Minister got up close to Orbital Marine Power’s O2 tidal turbine. The 2 MW Orbital O2 can meet the electricity demands of around 2000 UK homes and provided the Minister with an example of technology designed, built and deployed in the UK with 80% UK supply chain content. 

The Minister also visited EMEC’s onshore facilities on the island of Eday where the power generated by Orbital feeds into the national grid. Here she was given insight to a planned alternative offtake project to create synthetic fuel from hydrogen while exploring EMEC’s green hydrogen and battery storage R&D site.

Whilst in Eday, the Minister heard about the Sustainable Aviation Test Environment (SATE) programme and was introduced to Windracers ULTRA(tm), a self-flying cargo aircraft designed and manufactured in the UK, that is now being utilised to trial a regular air delivery service between the islands of Eday and Westray.

Back on the Orkney mainland, the Minister met with Orkney Islands Council and supply chain representatives (Leask Marine, Green Marine, Aquatera and Xodus) discussing the economic impact and export opportunities that energy innovation has brought across the islands. This was followed by discussions with the Islands Centre for Net Zero, a project funded by the Islands Deal, and concluded with a trip to EMEC’s Billia Croo test site to look at growth opportunities for offshore wind including EMEC’s prospective National Floating Offshore Wind Test Centre and developments by the West of Orkney Windfarm.

Neil Kermode, EMEC’s Managing Director said:

“Within the first few weeks of the new government, it’s fantastic to have the opportunity to show the Minister firsthand how clean offshore technologies and island-grown energy expertise can directly contribute to the Government’s clean power mission. 

“Marine energy, such as tidal stream, is a predictable and firm renewable power resource that can significantly bolster the UK’s energy security and when combined with battery storage and green hydrogen production, it presents an even greater opportunity for system wide decarbonisation. 

“GB Energy is designed to accelerate innovation of renewable technologies to decarbonise the UK’s electricity system, and the energy R&D taking place here is fundamental to reaching the scale needed to meet the challenges of 2030 and beyond.”