News this week
The last few weeks have been busy for EMEC with a number of exciting events.
On 20th November EMEC was delighted to welcome Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, to Billia Croo to officially switch on Aquamarine Power’s Oyster device. The award-winning oyster is the world’s largest working hydro-electric wave energy device. Well done to everyone in the Oyster team for achieving this fantastic milestone. For more information see local TV coverage.
The Marine Renewables industry descended upon the Highlands on 11th and 12th November as the Scottish Renewables Forum held their annual marine conference in Inverness. Orkney waters and EMEC activity featured strongly on the agenda, with Neil Kermode taking part in a Waveplam seminar and Richard Morris chairing a technology update session where a number of developers presented their progress.
The same week, Highlands and Islands Enterprise Shetland brought a group of Shetland engineering companies to visit EMEC. The trip was a good awareness-raising exercise as local companies prepare for the growth of the industry. Graeme Harrison, HIE Orkney, is pictured with the group at Billia Croo.
Over the last week TGL have been busy at work on the tidal site. They are working to complete installation of their tidal turbine using DP vessels as part of their strategy to develop a commercially viable deployment method for tidal devices. The deployment of the DP vessels will continue until January to allow full evaluation.
Finally, visitors to EMEC this week included Dr Simon Puttock, Executive Director of the Energy Technology Partnership and Dr Mike Weston, Head of the Energy Research Group, UHI who met with Neil Kermode to discuss EMEC’s research work. With around 250 academics and 600 researchers, the Energy Technology Partnership (ETP) is the largest, most broad based power and energy research partnership in Europe. ETP members currently lead or participate in energy related Research & Development programmes and investments valued in excess of £300 million funded through Research Council UK, industry and government. For more information see the ETP website.
