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Turning the tide towards a greener Scotland
09/09/2008
Tidal power has the potential to help make the Scotland the green energy capital of Europe, Environment Minister Michael Russell said today.
Following a visit to the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) project in New York City, where he witnessed two new turbines being lowered into place beneath the surface of the city's East River, Mr Russell said the time was now right for Scotland to exploit the untapped potential of tidal power.
The RITE project is one of two renewable energy projects currently being developed by Verdant Power in the USA.
Scotland currently has a world quality marine energy energy research centre on the Island of Eday in Orkney, where a number of wave and tidal energy projects are being developed.
Mr Russell said:
"Scotland is uniquely placed to be a world leader in tidal power. We are home to the meeting point of two powerful seas and the Pentland Firth has been described as the 'Saudi Arabia of tidal power'.
"The technology is still at an early stage but by learning from other early adopters projects such as the one I saw in New York we can ensure that Scotland is at the frontier.
"The Scottish Government has introduced a target to provide 50 per cent of Scottish electricity demand from renewables by 2020, and 31 per cent by 2011. Our renewable energy potential could see us provide 25 per cent of Europe's tidal power, as well as 25 per cent of its wind power and 10 per cent of its wave power.
"To put us at the cutting edge of new renewable technologies, we have launched the Saltire Prize, a £10 million challenge for innovative advances in clean, green energy.
"These are exciting times. We are at the start of a major new era for renewable energy and upon my return I look forward to sharing what I have learned in the USA with Energy Minister Jim Mather and the rest of my Scottish Government colleagues."
Verdant Power's Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) project is situated in the East River between Manhattan and Queen's.
While in the USA, Mr Russell also met with Covanta Energy, which specialises in energy from waste technology, and Good Energies, an investor in renewable energy.