Orbital Marine Power’s latest renewable energy project is a tidal turbine that can provide electricity for 2,000 homes!

Tidal turbines are some of the most efficient renewable energy producers, offering predictability, reliability, and low-cost upkeep (albeit following an expensive construction period). Harnessed by free-floating turbines or ones contained within barrages, tidal energy produces power from ocean surges during the rise and fall of tides. Orbital Marine Power, a renewable technology company, recently launched their very own tidal turbine called O2 off the coast of Orkney, Scotland.

O2 is a 74-meter, free-floating, 2MW tidal turbine that will be able to provide sustainable, renewable energy for the next fifteen years with the potential to fulfill an annual electricity quota for around 2,000 homes across the UK. Stationed in the Orkney Isles, O2’s location was specifically chosen for the powerful tidal currents resulting from the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. In fact, O2 is anchored in the Fall of Warness, a location known for its high-tidal energy, reaching tidal flow velocities of 3 m/s, or around six knots. Taking advantage of the sea’s perpetual tidal energy, Orbital Marine Power cabled O2 to one of Orkney’s onshore electricity networks to begin collecting and generating renewable energy. In building O2, Orbital Marine Power equipped the vessel with a two-bladed pitching hub, 1 MW nacelle, and a 20m rotor to allow for bidirectional navigation and optimize tidal flow.

Orbital Marine Power is a privately held company that found support in public lenders and various green initiatives from the Scottish government and E.U. to help fund O2’s launch. Michael Matheson, a supporter of O2 and cabinet secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport notes, “With our abundant natural resources, expertise and ambition, Scotland is ideally placed to harness the enormous global market for marine energy whilst helping deliver a net-zero economy…The deployment of Orbital Marine Power’s O2, the world’s most powerful tidal turbine, is a proud moment for Scotland and a significant milestone in our journey to net-zero.”

Designer: Orbital Marine Power

O2 has the potential to generate enough power for 2,000 homes across the UK.

Following a lengthy and expensive construction process, O2 was built to harness energy from tides and produce power.

The 74-meter long turbine features a two-bladed pitching hub, 1 MW nacelle, and a 20m rotor.

Dynamic power cable connections are located on both ends of the turbine, connecting it to onshore electricity networks.

O2 also comes complete with boarding and loading decks so researchers can delve into the science behind acquiring tidal power.

The tidal turbine is located in the Fall of Warness, a high-tidal energy environment resulting from the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea.

Orkney’s coast is known for high tidal action.

These modular glamping tree tents were designed to encourage sustainable community travel!

I know treehouses were a thing of our childhoods but it doesn’t have to be! Get ready to take a beautiful virtual tour of the O2 Treehouse by Treewalkers that blend the best of our childhood imagination with glamping reality while keeping it all an eco-friendly experience! Treewalkers is one of the leading players in the world of treetop construction – they actually make treehouses that adults cannot reason out of.

The treehouses have unique geodesic domes and can be connected to create entire villages. The houses are modular so it enables franchisees to start their own village setups with one or more units – this can be a sustainable hotel, unusual Airbnb getaway, or simply a camping site that offers a different kind of stay. The innovative modular lattice design is what makes this a flexible accommodation — while catering to the individual’s needs and it also allows them to customize details. The units come with a standard a bug-proof outer socket, interior furniture, and canvas canopy roofing. As part of the franchise program, hosts have the option to open up their Treewalker to other hosts in exchange for points that can be used towards other stays – sustainable community tourism! There are many intriguing shapes but the most iconic one has to be the A-shaped floating tent because that is something we have all tried to create with a blanket in our living rooms. The interiors are warm + woody and have a plush bed with a seating area. As you can imagine there will be plenty of natural light and ventilation. While there is no clear indication of the bathroom being in-unit, I assume that will be a separate pod in itself or have other arrangements like porta-potty if its a campsite.

The California-based design studio has extended its realm with a franchise-hospitality brand to make it possible for anyone to own one of the O2 Treehouses. “Treewalkers is a franchise-based treehouse hospitality brand that lends homeowners a way to launch into the home-sharing market with low risk and a high ROI, and lends travelers an easily accessible network of eco experiences,” says founder Dustin Feider. Finally, O2 Treehouse estimates a 1-3 year return on investment based on a rate of $150 per night, occupied for 30-60% of the year and they have broken down the math for you on their website should you decide to go that route. The ultimate mission of the brand is to design architectural structures that heal the bond between humans and nature so they can coexist peacefully!

Designer: Treewalkers

treehouse

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The Birò O2 is the only car to be made from more than 80% recycled plastic

Apparently, in just 31 years, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. It’s an incredibly scary statistic, given how many fish exist in the sea. The car company Estrima is all poised to do something about this horrible future prediction by reclaiming some plastic and using it as raw material. The Birò O2, a special variant of Estrima’s electric-scooter is, for the first time ever in automotive history, is made from more than 80% recycled plastic.

The Birò O2 is a variant of Estrima’s original Birò, a single-person electric four-wheeled scooter that provides effortless, energy-efficient transportation and is small enough to fit into scooter parking spaces. The miniscule vehicle is fully electric, and even features a removable battery that you can carry around with you and charge. The O2, aside from being as energy efficient as its predecessor, also tries to massively reduce its carbon footprint by relying on plastic that would normally find its way into landfills or oceans. Aside from the metal chassis of the car, the outer parts of the O2, including the front and the back panels (and even the hood) are made from recycled plastic.

Estrima partnered with Mandalaki Studio to execute this vision. Mandalaki sought to gather and prepare large amounts of waste left by road maintenance, such as cones and signboards, which could then be recycled by cleaning, treating, and grinding into a fine powder. This powder, derived from waste products, was used as the raw-material for rotationally molding the front and rear components of the O2. Other elements of the O2, such as the seats, the tachometer, steering wheel and doors, come made from non-recycled plastics such as thermoformed PVC, although Estrima and Mandalaki claim to be working on developing a car that’s made from 100% recycled plastic too.

The Birò O2 features a powerful electric engine that can reach top speeds of 40mph, and can travel as far as 62 miles on a single charge. Using the crucial number of 31 (years) as their reinforcing element, Estrima will produce 31 units of the Birò O2 for sale.

Designers: Estrima & Mandalaki Studio