Pentland Firth Tidal Turbine Project gets go-ahead

Work is to begin on the largest tidal energy project in Europe after the Scottish government granted permission.

MeyGen Turbine

Each of MeyGen’s AR1000 turbines stands 22.5m (73ft) tall and weighs 1,500 tonnes

MeyGen is to install the tidal array in stages in the Pentland Firth, between Orkney and the Scottish mainland. It will begin with a 9MW demonstration project of up to six turbines, with construction expected to take place on a phased basis until 2020.

When fully operational, the 86MW array could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 42,000 homes. That is the equivalent of 40% of homes in the Highlands, the Scottish government said.

It will be the first commercial deployment of tidal turbines in Scottish waters.
This is a major step forward for Scotland’s marine renewable energy industry” Fergus Ewing Scottish energy minister

Scottish-registered company MeyGen is a joint venture between investment bank Morgan Stanley, independent power generator International Power and tidal technology provider Atlantis Resources Corporation. Its tidal energy project is located in the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth off the north coast of Caithness.

The firm has agreed a 25-year lease with the Crown Estate for an area encompassing about 1.4 square miles (3.5 square kilometres) of fast flowing water between the island of Stroma and the north easterly tip of the Scottish mainland. Its AR1000 turbine is claimed to be the world’s most powerful single-rotor tidal device. Each of the devices, which stand 22.5m (73ft) tall, weigh 1,500 tonnes and have a rotor diameter of 18m (59ft), could generate up to 1MWt of power.

Phase one of the plan would see 86 turbines deployed, with MeyGen hoping a second phase would eventually see up to 400 submerged turbines at the site.

Source: BBC News Scotland http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-24100811

Please do share this

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Delicious
  • StumbleUpon
  • Add to favorites
  • Email
  • RSS