Tidal Power: Why Predictable Energy Is Still Hard
This video follows Scotland’s tidal industry through MeyGen, Orbital O2 and the proposed Westray Tidal Array. It explains streams versus waves and barrages, underwater machinery, operating capacity versus contracted expansion, the cost gap with offshore wind, Contracts for Difference, marine life and ferry navigation.
The research includes the September 2026 MeyGen operational report and February 2026 auction results. Westray’s around 70 turbines and up to 170 MW are proposal figures, not installed capacity. Auction prices retain their published price base, and future cost estimates remain conditional projections.
In these topics
Chapters
- A predictable kind of renewable
- Streams versus waves versus barrages
- Why the Pentland Firth and Orkney
- Inside a tidal turbine
- MeyGen: the world's largest array
- Orbital O2: floating and serviceable
- The cost problem
- Paying for predictability: the CfD ringfence
- Marine life and coastal trade-offs
- Westray: the next scale-up
- What predictability is actually worth to the grid
- Is tidal power moving towards a real industry?
Sources and credits
Photo credits (Wikimedia Commons)
- Orkney Islands, aerial view: self, Public domain - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AOrkney_Islands.jpg
- Mainland, Orkney - satellite image: unknown, Public domain - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMainland_2.99043W_59.01362N.jpg
- SeaGen tidal stream turbine awaiting installation: MyName (Fundy), Public domain - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ASeaGen_marine_current_turbine_HandW.jpg
- La Rance tidal barrage, Brittany - aerial view: Tswgb, Public domain - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ABarrage_de_la_Rance.jpg
- Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) - the species found around Scottish tidal sites: Dr. Dwayne Meadows, NOAA/NMFS/OPR, Public domain - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APacific_harbor_seal_%28Phoca_vitulina%29_diving_to_the_water_below_from_an_algae-covered_rock_ledge_exposed_at_low_tide.jpg
Primary sources
- Ampeak Energy, MeyGen project page; 23 September 2026 Interim Results.
- Orbital, O2 launch 22 April 2021; operational finance 4 July 2022; Westray consultation 11 June 2026.
- DESNZ, AR6 results 3 September 2024; AR7a results 10 February 2026.
- ORE Catapult, Tidal Stream Technology Roadmap, March 2024.
- PNNL/OES-Environmental, 2024 State of the Science.
- EMEC, tidal-to-hydrogen modelling 11 November 2025.
- Orkney Islands Council, Westray council minutes 8 June 2026.
Not regulated financial advice.