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Orkney energy innovation showcased in Science Museum’s new gallery

The Science Museum in London has opened a major new gallery exploring the rapid energy transition and decarbonisation needed globally to limit climate change. 

The gallery highlights technologies and projects from the UK and abroad – from tidal energy and hydrogen power in Orkney to terracotta air-cooling façades in India and solar farms in Morocco.

Looking at the past, present and future of energy systems, Energy Revolution: The Adani Green Energy Gallery features recognisable and surprising objects plus interactive exhibits to highlight how we can journey to a more sustainable world—and our role in achieving that low carbon future.

EMEC has been working closely with the Science Museum over the past three years to enable Orkney’s pioneering role in the energy transition through R&D in marine energy and green hydrogen to be showcased in the gallery.

Visitors can see a model demonstrating renewable energy and hydrogen on the islands, spanning floating offshore wind and tidal turbines to EMEC’s green hydrogen production plant. EMEC’s Managing Director, Neil Kermode, Operations Technician, Jerry Gibson and Corporate Affairs Director Eileen Linklater also feature in a new film featuring the people and places behind these pioneering projects.

One of the standout attractions is a seven metre long tidal turbine blade made by Orbital Marine Power. Used on the SR-2000, a 63 metre long, 500 tonne tidal turbine deployed at EMEC’s test site from 2016-18, this prototype blade helped generate enough electricity to power a thousand homes harnessing the strong tidal flows around Orkney. A second blade from the SR-2000 can be viewed at the Orkney Research and Innovation Campus in Stromness for those in Orkney unable to visit the gallery.

Neil, Eileen and Jerry attended a launch event for the gallery last week.

Commenting on the launch, Eileen said:

“It’s brilliant to see the pioneering role Orkney has played in the energy transition recognised in this way, and it was a huge honour to be at the launch.

“A large section of the new gallery is dedicated to Orkney as a case study for future energy innovation, but it was also fantastic to see a hooded Orkney chair featured as an example of past energy innovation – keeping heat in and drafts out.

“With the Science Museum welcoming more than 3 million visitors a year from all over the world, we hope they can learn something from our energy experience.”

The free gallery examines this century’s defining challenge through the lens of imagination across three sections.

• Future Planet enables visitors to examine how climate scientists use mathematics and complex computer-based models to understand our planet, and what these tell us about the range of climate futures that might lie ahead.
• Future Energy explores technologies – and the people behind them – that are reimagining how energy is supplied and used today, alongside historic artefacts which provide a longer view of the energy transition away from fossil fuels.
• Our Future looks forward to a new world that is being dreamt up, with children’s creative ideas of how the world will meet its future energy needs displayed with expert responses to them.

Visitors to the museum can also view the winning commission from this year’s Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year. “Orkney and the Energy Within”, by artist Monica Popham, was inspired by Orkney and its pioneering role in the UK’s transition to low carbon and renewable energy. Monica was challenged to add to the Science Museum Group’s Collection depicting science and technological innovation through art. She visited Orkney last year for inspiration to capture the islands’ history of innovation within the wild landscape and powerful resources that places it at the forefront of the renewables revolution.

‘Energy Revolution: The Adani Green Energy Gallery’ officially opened to the public on Tuesday 26 March.
Book your free admission ticket here: Free museum admission