Facilities
The world’s leading centre for demonstrating wave and tidal energy converters at sea
EMEC provides a range of test and demonstration facilities to reduce the time, cost and risk of testing and demonstrating ocean energy and associated low carbon technologies.
Located in some of the world’s most energetic wave and tidal environments, our sites enable developers to test, learn and refine their technologies in real sea conditions, with full confidentiality of performance data. We also support first-of-a-kind and pilot scale demonstrations across a wider range of technologies, including offshore wind, green hydrogen, battery storage, e-fuels, data centres, robotics and island decarbonisation initiatives.
Our operations are spread across Orkney, an archipelago off the North coast of Scotland:
- Billia Croo, grid-connected wave energy test site (Stromness, Mainland Orkney)
- Fall of Warness, grid-connected tidal energy test site (off the island of Eday)
- Caldale, renewables integration R&D site (on Eday)
- Scapa Flow, scale wave test site (off St Mary’s Bay)
- Shapinsay Sound, scale tidal test site (off Head of Holland)
- DeepWind, deepwater wind test site (to the west of Orkney, in development)
- Islands Centre for Net Zero (spanning Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides)
- Blue Robotarium (based in Kirkwall, in development)
- EMEC offices (Stromness and Kirkwall)
You’ll find an overview of our test and demonstration facilities below. Click on the links for more details.
For information on the services we offer, visit: EMEC services
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Grid-connected ocean energy test sites
At the grid-connected test sites there are subsea cables which run from each test berth at sea to a substation onshore where electricity generated on site can then be fed into the UK national grid. The test sites offer:
- Coastal 11kV control and switching stations
- Subsea cables connected to the UK grid (seven for tidal energy; five for wave energy)
- Data transfer by fibre optic cables to allow remote access
- Metered power output from test devices
- Comprehensive SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system enabling real-time monitoring
- Wave, tidal and environmental baseline data collection
- MET stations calibrated to national standards
- Full confidentiality of data
- CCTV monitoring
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Scale test site infrastructure:
Scale test sites for in-sea testing
Our two scale test sites have been designed for testing smaller scale devices in less challenging conditions than those experienced at the grid-connected test sites. These scale sites include:
- Berths with mooring points
- Specially designed test support buoys for electricity dissipation and remote communications with the device
- Area of seabed for rehearsal of deployment techniques
- Simplified consenting process (as EMEC holds the licence)
Renewables integration R&D
To accelerate the commercialisation of ocean energy, EMEC is driving innovation in the integration of renewables with complementary energy vectors and alternative offtake industries.
Our offshore and onshore facilities provide a test platform for first-of-a-kind and pilot scale demonstrations, including green hydrogen, battery storage, e-fuels, refuelling technologies and data centres. Activities range from early-stage feasibility through to on-site demonstrations, addressing regulatory, operational and logistical challenges through to end-use deployment. This has led EMEC to exploring innovative solutions for decarbonising power, heat and transport, and supporting the decarbonisation of other sectors, including maritime and aviation.
While many demonstrations are based at our onshore facilities in Eday, adjacent to our tidal energy test site, we have been involved in projects at other sites across Orkney and beyond.
Deepwater wind test site
Building on our experience in developing the ocean energy sector, EMEC is also exploring options to develop a national deepwater and floating wind test site to the west of Orkney. DeepWind will offer offshore wind developers representative metocean conditions to prove, refine and de‑risk technologies for projects in the UK’s offshore wind pipeline before full commercial deployment.
Islands Centre for Net Zero (ICNZ)
Being based in Orkney, we operate within an inspiring energy ecosystem with a rich history of innovation. This unique island environment has encouraged us to explore new opportunities to cut emissions and enhance resilience in the communities closest to our operations.
A cornerstone of this work is the Islands Centre for Net Zero (ICNZ), a flagship initiative led by EMEC, with Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides collaborating to become lighthouse communities for islands decarbonisation.
Blue Robotarium
The International Blue Economy Robotarium is being established in Orkney as a hub for robotics innovation in the blue economy, bringing together partners including EMEC, Heriot-Watt University Orkney, Aquatera, Green Marine, Leask Marine and The National Robotarium to accelerate the development of cutting-edge marine robotic technologies.
