The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) Ltd is the first and only centre of its kind in the world to provide developers of both wave and tidal energy converters – technologies that generate electricity by harnessing the power of waves and tidal streams – with purpose-built, accredited open-sea testing facilities. Orkney is an ideal base for us with its excellent oceanic wave regime, strong tidal currents, grid connection, sheltered harbour facilities and the renewable, maritime and environmental expertise that exists within the local community. With 13 grid-connected test berths, there have been more marine energy converters deployed at EMEC than at any other single site in the world, with developers attracted from around the globe to prove what is achievable in some of the harshest marine environments. We also operate two scale test sites where smaller scale devices, or those at an earlier stage in their development, can gain real sea experience in less challenging conditions than those experienced at the grid-connected wave and tidal test sites. In addition to our wave and tidal sites, EMEC has an onshore hydrogen production plant in Eday where green hydrogen is generated from surplus tidal and wind energy. With a view of developing a hydrogen economy in Orkney, our demonstration site for new hydrogen technologies is a key element of various hydrogen research projects. EMEC operates to relevant test laboratory standards (ISO17025) enabling the Centre to provide independently-verified performance assessments, and is accredited to ISO/IEC 17020 offering independent technology verification on marine energy converters and their sub-systems.
