The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) provides the only grid-connected facilities in the world for testing tidal and wave energy technologies. Orkney was selected as a location becauseof its natural and manmade resources: the wave test site receives uninterrupted Atlantic waves of up to 15m and tidal steams at the tidal test site are among the fastest in Europe. Orkney is also the most northerly community connected to the UK national grid, has excellent harbour facilities and a significant professional community experienced in working with renewable energy. EMEC’s wave test facility, built in 2003, consist of four test berths situated along the 50m water depth contour off Billia Croo, Stromness on the Orkney mainland (some 2km offshore). A shallow water berth situated close to the substation is also currently under construction. In August 2004, Pelamis installed their first Pelamis 750 device on site: the resultant successful generation of electricity to the National Grid was a world’s first. AW Energy of Finland were another early customer for test. Another company, Aquamarine Power, are currently installing pipelines for use with their nearshore device Oyster (pictured, being transported) which is due to be deployed in 2009. Ocean Power Technologies are scheduled to deploy their PowerBuoy in 2009.
The tidal test site at the Fall of Warness, to the west of the island of Eday, was chosen for its high velocity marine currents which reach almost 4m/sec (7.8 knots) at spring tides. The facility offers five test berths at depths ranging from 25m to 50m in an area 2km across and approximately 4km in length. The test site was opened in September 2007. The first developer to use the site was Dublin based Open Hydro, who began the installation of their open centred turbine in 2006. Full testing is now underway, with their device becoming the first to be grid connected in Scotland and subsequently the first to successfully generate electricity to the national grid in the UK in May 2008. Other developers (amongst them Tidal Generation) are planning preparation works, with deployments of further tidal turbines scheduled for 2009 and 2010.
By Nick Hanna
Format: Paperback
Pages: 196
Edition: 1st
RRP: £14.99
Due for publication: 24th May 2010
Newsfeeds Loading
