Scotland delivers world-first tidal, battery and hydrogen energy test

The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Scotland has achieved a world-first demonstration by integrating tidal power, long-duration vanadium flow battery storage, and hydrogen production into a single coordinated energy system. This trial combined Orbital Marine Power’s O2 tidal turbine, Invinity Energy Systems’ vanadium redox batteries, and ITM Power’s 670-kilowatt electrolyzer at EMEC’s accredited research site on the island of Eday in the Orkney Archipelago. The integrated system was designed to balance the natural fluctuations of tidal energy generation by storing excess power in batteries and using it to produce green hydrogen on demand, thereby smoothing tidal power cycles and ensuring a steady electricity supply for hydrogen production. The demonstration marked the first time these three technologies operated as a unified system, successfully managing various energy flow scenarios, including rapid responses to equipment trips, without causing a full site shutdown. While the trial confirmed the feasibility of the combined system, it also identified areas for improvement such as battery management