The United Kingdom has awarded 20.9 MW across four tidal stream projects in its largest-ever renewables round, with Inyanga Marine Energy Group securing an additional 10 MW for its HydroWing Ynni’r Lleuad Project at Morlais—paving the way for what will become the world’s largest tidal energy installation by 2030.
The numbers tell a striking story. In the UK government’s latest Contracts for Difference (CfD) Allocation Round 7, renewable energy secured a record 14.7 GW of capacity. But tucked inside that massive figure lies something smaller yet equally significant: 20.9 MW specifically awarded to tidal stream projects across four developments. For an industry still finding its commercial footing, that dedicated allocation matters enormously.
One winner stands out. Inyanga Marine Energy Group’s HydroWing Tidal Energy Projects has just locked in an additional 10 MW for its Ynni’r Lleuad Project at Morlais in Wales. This builds on 20 MW already secured through earlier CfD rounds. Once fully developed, the cumulative 30 MW portfolio will make this the largest tidal energy project on the planet.
About the product? Tidal energy solves one of renewable power’s most persistent headaches: unpredictability. Unlike wind or solar, tides never stop flowing. You can calculate their rhythm decades in advance. The HydroWing HW3 devices—18 of them, each rated at 1.67 MW—will sit beneath the waves, spinning with reliable precision as the Irish Sea surges through the Morlais site.
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What does it actually do? For grid operators, tidal stream offers something close to a miracle: clean power you can schedule. The same way you know the morning train arrives at 8:15, you know exactly when the tide will turn. That predictability transforms how much backup power utilities need to keep spinning. The first HydroWing device is scheduled to slide into Welsh waters in 2027 as part of Phase 1A. Phase 3, targeted for 2030, will complete the full build-out. According to the company, that’s when the Morlais project claims its world-first title.
Richard Parkinson, CEO of Inyanga Marine Energy Group and the driving innovator behind the project, frames the award in practical terms. “This latest award allows us to focus on economies of scale and drive momentum towards delivering clean and stable power to the grid in Anglesey at an industrial scale,” Parkinson said. “The award enables us to drive costs down while unlocking the investment necessary to make this project a reality. Our team is working extremely hard with our supply chain and investment partners as we ramp up manufacturing and move towards delivery.”
Here’s the honest limitation, though. Tidal energy remains expensive compared to mature renewables. It requires robust engineering to survive corrosive salt water, powerful currents, and storms. The devices need specialized vessels for installation and maintenance. Costs are falling—economies of scale are real—but tidal won’t undercut solar or onshore wind on price alone anytime soon. The value proposition lies elsewhere: in grid stability, energy security, and predictable baseload power that complements intermittent sources.
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Scotland-based Orbital Marine Power also scored in the allocation round, winning a contract for its 2.4 MW Orbital Marine Eday 5 project. This joins the company’s existing 2 MW O2 unit—currently the world’s most powerful tidal turbine—which has been generating off the Orkney Islands since 2021.
Andrew Scott, CEO of Orbital Marine Power, expressed measured optimism. “This is welcomed news as we move Orbital and our supply chain into delivery mode,” Scott said. “It expands our vision and increases the opportunities around our business while we demonstrate the important role tidal stream can play in energy systems of the future with its reliable, predictable clean energy.”
Orbital’s momentum extends beyond UK waters. In November 2025, the company signed power purchase agreements with Nova Scotia, Canada, equivalent to an order for six turbines totaling roughly 15 MW for the Bay of Fundy—home to the world’s highest tides. Between the UK and Canada, Orbital now carries an orderbook of 32 MW, or thirteen turbines.
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Two other winners round out the tidal cohort. Môr Energy Limited, a subsidiary of QED Naval Ltd, secured 5.5 MW for its Mor Energy GO3 Phase2 project, bringing its total CfD-backed capacity at Morlais to 10 MW. Tidal Technologies Limited (TTL) received its first-ever CfD contract: 3 MW for its Morlais Tidal Tech GR1 W1.1. TTL plans to deploy its first full-scale 3 MW demonstrator at Morlais in 2027, with ambitions for another 27 MW as soon as practical.
Why does any of this matter? Because the energy transition needs more than cheap kilowatt-hours. It needs a mix that works every hour of every day. Tidal stream offers something uniquely valuable: renewable energy you can bet on. The UK, with its island geography and world-class tidal resources, is positioning itself as the proving ground. If these projects deliver—if costs continue falling and reliability keeps improving—the model can export globally.
The engineers at Inyanga, Orbital, Môr Energy, and Tidal Technologies are doing more than building turbines. They’re testing whether an industry born in Scottish lochs and Welsh channels can scale to meet global demand. The next few years, with devices sliding into the water at Morlais and Orkney, will tell us whether the tide has truly turned.
