"The SR2000's phenomenal performance has set a new benchmark for the tidal industry," said Scotrenewables CEO Andrew Scott. "Despite being an R&D project, and it being our first full scale turbine, its first year of testing has delivered a performance level approaching that of widely deployed mature renewable technologies."

The prototype is 64 m (210 ft) long with a maximum diameter of 3.8 m (12.5 ft), can be installed in waters more than 25 m (82 ft) deep thanks to its flexible mooring system and makes use of proven components from other industries. Below the surface, the 16 m (52.5 ft) rotor harvests tidal energy with variable speed power regulation and fixed pitch blades. Dubbed the world's most powerful operating tidal stream turbine, it has managed to supply over 25 percent of the electricity needs of the Orkney Islands, off the coast of northern Scotland, during its first 12 months of continuous operation.