About us

Our vision:

Pioneer the transition to a clean energy future

Our mission:

As an innovation catalyst, EMEC will

grow its know-how, services and infrastructure

to reduce the time, cost, and risk

to progress innovative sustainable technologies to market.

A not-for-profit innovation catalyst

pioneering the transition to a clean energy future.

Established in 2003, the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) Ltd is the world’s first and leading facility for demonstrating and testing wave and tidal energy converters – technologies that generate electricity by harnessing the power of waves and tidal streams – in the sea.

As a plug-and-play facility EMEC helps reduce the time, cost and risk of testing innovative sustainable technologies.

We offer purpose-built, open-sea testing facilities for prototype technologies. We operate two grid-connected, accredited test sites – the Fall of Warness tidal test site and Billia Croo wave test site – where larger prototypes are put through their paces, as well as 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.

Attracting developers from around the globe, EMEC’s facilities help to prove what is achievable in some of the harshest marine environments while in close proximity to sheltered waters and harbours.

To date, more ocean energy converters have tested at EMEC than at any other site in the world.

EMEC operates to relevant test laboratory standards (ISO17025 / ISO/IEC 17020) providing independently-verified performance assessments and technology inspection on marine energy converters and sub-systems. EMEC is at the forefront in the development of international standards for marine energy and is forging alliances with other countries, exporting our knowledge around the world to stimulate the development of a global marine renewables industry.

Building on our experience in developing the ocean energy sector, EMEC is exploring options for developing a national floating offshore wind test site to the west of Orkney. The site aims to offer floating wind developers representative metocean conditions to those in ScotWind, Celtic Seas and future leasing rounds. EMEC also runs the Offshore Wind R&I Programme searching for novel solutions to help deliver offshore wind faster, cheaper and at lower risk.

EMEC is also leading innovation projects exploring the integration of renewables with green hydrogen, storage and e-fuels. The centre has established a hydrogen R&D ecosystem, featuring electrolysers, fuel cells, storage and refuelling, for first-of-a-kind and pilot scale projects aiming to decarbonise power, heat and transport applications.

EMEC’s infrastructure and experience are increasingly being used in wider energy systems and decarbonisation innovation. For example, Microsoft demonstrated a subsea data centre at EMEC’s offshore test site and EMEC is leading the Islands Centre for Net Zero to support Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides on their path to net zero emissions.

EMEC was set up to kick start an ocean energy sector in the UK and boost economic development in the Highlands and Islands. Over the years EMEC has grown and diversified, and unprecedented activity that has taken place in Orkney due to the presence of EMEC has been a catalyst for economic development, creating jobs and a world-leading supply chain now exporting skills and knowledge around the globe. An economic impact assessment calculated EMEC added £370 million GVA to the UK economy between 2003 and 2023.

EMEC was named Blue Economy Enterprise of the Year at the Scottish Highlands and Islands Rural Economy Awards 2021, Champion of Renewables at the Scottish Green Energy Awards 2021 and won the Outstanding Service Award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards 2023.