This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Tidal energy demonstrator to be built
29/03/2006
An investment of £650,000 from the Executive has ensured that a hi-tech tidal underwater turbine demonstrator will be built at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.
The £8 million 'Neptune' project, developed by Scottish and Southern Energy's wholly-owned subsidiary Renewable Technology Ventures Ltd, is supported by the ERxecutive, the Department of Trade and Industry, Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen said:
"Scotland can be a marine energy powerhouse. Innovation is vital and I am delighted to announce this positive news for energy generation from our costal waters - the first tidal project of its kind in Scotland
"The Executive has helped establish the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney to help develop the sort of innovative and exciting projects like the one announced today.
"The Neptune project is a massively important development for the growing Scottish marine renewables sector.
"I am particularly encouraged by the company's estimate that Neptune has the potential to be commercially viable at a 'farm scale' of around 50 turbines. This would provide an impressive output of over 100MW of electricity, subject to a successful outcome from the demonstration project.
"This demonstrates that the Scottish marine energy sector can make a real contribution towards meeting and exceeding our renewables targets."
It is hoped that Neptune will be in the water at EMEC by the end of 2007, with testing throughout 2008.
The £650,000 Executive funding will cover the site preparation costs at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) which was initially established with £3 million of Executive funding.
The DTI is to give the project £2 million in funding under its Technology Programme.
The Executive has set a target of having 18 per cent of electricity generated in Scotland coming from renewable resources by 2010, rising to 40 per cent by 2020.