P2 Arrives in Orkney

A giant wave energy device, built by Edinburgh-company Pelamis Wave Power, has arrived in Orkney ahead of a comprehensive test programme at EMEC, the European Marine Energy Centre.

At 180 metres in length, the second generation P2 machine is far larger than the original Pelamis prototype previously tested at EMEC.

The machine was towed north from the company’s facility at Leith docks, where it was designed and built.

Now lying at Lyness, it will be thoroughly inspected and prepared ahead of connection to a pre-paced mooring system and electrical cable at EMEC’s wave test site off Billia Croo.

It will then undergo a series of commissioning and evaluation trials through the remainder of the summer and autumn before entering full service.

The P2 machine has been built for E.ON UK, the first power utility to make use of EMEC’s world leading facilities.

An E.ON spokesman said: “We intend to test the device for a couple of years, to get all the information we need to see how it reacts to life around the UK coast.

“This is very much a test bed for us – and the industry as a whole – but a successful test could see much bigger arrays being built around Orkney.”

Prior to being towed to Orkney by Delta Marine’s multicat vessel Voe Viking, the Pelamis P2 machine had its first taste of the open sea when it underwent trials in the outer reaches of the Firth of Forth.

The 36 hour test was carried out in small seas of around 1 metre in height. It included trials of the device’s new mooring yoke, as well as its hydraulic, electrical and control systems.

Pelamis Wave Power said all tests were successfully completed with all systems performing as designed.