Blog: ORECAT fact finding mission to Orkney

“It’s not until you get to see the activities and understand more directly the sheer enthusiasm for renewable energy on the island that it sinks in”

Andrew Jamieson, Chief Executive of the newly established Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORECAT), visited EMEC earlier this week along with his colleagues David Currie and David Arnold. Whilst in Orkney they met with representatives of EMEC, Orkney Renewable Energy Forum (OREF), and Orkney Islands Council, visited the EMEC Billia Croo wave test site, and were provided tours of the marine renewables ports at Lyness and Hatston viewing some of the innovative wave and tidal energy devices that are testing here in Orkney.

“It is an island community truly looking forward to a sustainable future”

Commenting on the visit, Andrew said: “We’ve just returned from an extremely interesting fact finding mission to Orkney.  We all know there is a lot going on there, but it’s not until you get to see the activities and understand more directly the sheer enthusiasm for renewable energy on the island that it sinks in.  I’ve never seen so many agricultural farms with micro turbines, and houses with solar panels.  It is an island community truly looking forward to a sustainable future.  I warmly welcome all that is going on, it sets an example for the rest of the UK. And well done too to all those at EMEC in setting up world class test facilities for marine energy devices.”

The ORECAT has been established to help accelerate the development of the offshore renewable industry in the UK. For further information on the ORECAT, visit: Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult