Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Sign up for Axios Pro Rata
Dive into the world of dealmakers across VC, PE and M&A with Axios Pro Rata. Delivered daily to your inbox by Dan Primack and Kia Kokalitcheva.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Want a daily digest of the top Nashville news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Nashville newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Columbus news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Columbus newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Dallas news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Dallas newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Austin news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Austin newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Atlanta news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Atlanta newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Philadelphia news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Philadelphia newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Chicago news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Chicago newsletter.
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Want a daily digest of the top DC news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios DC newsletter.
Eyemouth Harbor at sunrise after an overnight tidal storm surge on Dec. 6, 2013, in Eyemouth, Scotland. Photo: Mark Runnacles via Getty Images
SIMEC Atlantis Energy, a sustainable-energy generation and asset management company, recently achieved a new milestone after exporting over 12 gigawatt hours of clean tidal energy to the grid from their MeyGen Tidal Array in Scotland.
Why it matters: Demonstrating reliable production is a constant challenge for any company looking to sell energy into the grid with a new technology. SIMEC's 12 gigawatt hours of grid-delivered energy since last spring is one of the best records within the marine energy community and will help bolster investor confidence.
Background: SIMEC's 6-megawatt MeyGen Tidal Array is the largest operational tidal array in the world and comprises four turbines rated at 1.5 megawatts each. This is just the first of several phases, however; next phases could expand the capacity of the array to 92 megawatts, and later to as much as 252 megawatts.
Between the lines: Proving that a given energy technology works at a competitive price point takes time, but is crucial to attract the private investment needed to see the project ramp up to full capacity. It's a classic catch-22: Investors want demonstrated performance before investing, but the companies need capital in order to demonstrate proof of concept over long periods.
- The challenge of proving reliability is even more significant for marine energy because of unique environmental factors, such as saltwater corrosion, biofouling (degradation caused by microorganisms), and, in the case of tidal turbines, underwater operation.
The bottom line: The scale of MeyGen may be modest in comparison to some of the recent offshore wind leases, which operate on the order of gigawatts, rather than megawatts, but it is nevertheless an important project to the marine energy sector that will help prove its viability.
David Hume is a contractor supporting the marine renewable energy portfolio at the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office and the founder of The Liquid Grid. The views expressed are his own.