ScottishPower, working closely with the Scottish Executive, has today announced a £10m wave power project and an upgrade to an existing wind farm.
On the wave power front, four floating generators, designed to convert wave movement into electricity, will be moored off the European Marine Test Centre in Orkney in what will be the world's biggest commercial wave farm.
Due to be operating by 2008, the 160-metre Pelamis (Sea Snake) machines, will provide around 3MW of green electricity, enough to power around 2,000 homes. A test prototype has already been taken to Orkney from Leith by its developers, Ocean Power Delivery.
On the wind power front, the company is proposing to overhaul of the UK’s oldest windfarms.
Located just south east of Newquay, Carland Cross windfarm was constructed in 1992, with its 15 turbines capable of generating 6MW. New proposals could see its contribution to the UK’s renewable energy target more than triple.
The company says that new wind turbine technology installed on the site could enable the windfarm to produce over 20MW of energy, enough clean green electricity for over 11,000 homes.
A scoping report is currently being distributed to stakeholders giving more detail on the proposal and describing the methodology and benefits of improving the output of the existing windfarm.
Engineering industry reacts to Reeves' budget
I´d have to say - ´help´ - in the longer term. It is well recognised that productivity in the UK lags well behind our major industrial competitors and...