News this week
Last week Orkney saw a significant milestone in the development of marine renewables with the announcement of the successful bidders in the Crown Estate’s first seabed leasing round. The agreements for lease will enable projects to be taken forward within designated areas once various environmental and planning requirements have been achieved. A number of the successful companies are involved in testing technologies at EMEC, so we hope to be able to continue providing an essential research role as these plans progress.
This week EMEC held a Navigational Safety Risk Assessment workshop for our proposed new nursery test facilities. The workshop was well attended with Marine Services, fisheries, Lifeboats, and yachting represented to discuss the risks associated with operating in the proposed new sites. It was a very useful process for all involved, and EMEC would like to thank Orkney Marine Services for hosting the event, and everyone who took part for their effort.
EMEC’s Research and Consents Manager Jenny Norris has been in Seattle this week at an event on “the Ecological Effects Tidal Energy Development”. Jenny was invited to Chair a breakout session on the cumulative impacts of tidal devices.
Recent visitors to EMEC included Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) who brought pupils from Shapinsay School, who were runners up in a national Eco-Schools competition, to EMEC. LTS filmed the pupils at EMEC finding out about wave and tidal energy for a national Curriculum for Excellence website on Climate Change. We also welcomed young people from Hoy last week who came to EMEC with their Teachers and Youth Development worker to learn about marine energy – well done to them for braving one of the windiest days so far this year at Billia Croo!
Finally, yesterday, EMEC’s Client and Marketing Manager, Eileen Linklater, hosted the Scottish Development (SDI) International Asia Pacific Media Tour. Four TV crews from China, Hong Kong, Korea and India visited EMEC and Billia Croo to interview Eileen, giving marine energy in Orkney a massive potential audience when broadcast in these countries. Pictured above are the film crews and presenters with SDI staff and Eileen Linklater.
