News this week

A very busy week here at EMEC.

We are delighted to announce this week that Kawasaki have signed a contract with EMEC. The Japanese multinational intend to test their tidal energy device at EMEC’s tidal test site in Eday. For further details click here.

Hammerfest Strom have commenced subsea cable works at the Fall of Warness in Eday, in preparation for the installation of their tidal turbine.

And earlier this week we recorded a 9m wave at Billia Croo yet again demonstrating the strength of marine resources we have here in Orkney.

As reported in the press, the Energy and Climate Change Committee visited EMEC at the start of the week as part of their inquiry into wave and tidal technologies. For further details click here.

On Thursday David Palmer (pictured above), Head of Policy and Planning at Marine Scotland, the Directorate of The Scottish Government responsible for managing Scotland’s seas for prosperity and environmental sustainability, visited EMEC. He met with various members of staff, discussing EMEC’s activities and what is yet to come, and took a tour of the Billia Croo wave test site. The meeting further strengthens relations with Marine Scotland’s Licencing Operations Team with whom EMEC work very closely.

Matthew Finn, Research Coordinator, was in Dublin this week meeting with other members of MaRINET (Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network for Emerging Energy Technologies). MaRINET is an EU-funded programme aimed at accelerating the development of offshore renewable energy (wave, tidal, offshore-wind) by bringing together testing facilities at all scales to offer funded testing and to coordinate focussed R&D. For more information on the project click here.

Coming up:
Neil Kermode is off to the Renewable UK Annual Conference and Exhibition from 25 – 27 October 2011. He will be speaking at the SOWFIA project workshop ‘Real Experiences To-date In Wave Energy Development’ on Day Three. For more details see: RUK conference or SOWFIA workshop.