Beneath the cliffs on the Scottish island of Orkney, there is a number of unusual devices which are used to test different ways of harnessing energy of waves. One of the devices, which was developed by Aquamarine Power, is called the “Oyster” and pumps water at high pressure to shore, where it rotates a turbine and a generator. Another floating miniature power station was developed by Pelamis Wave Power.
The opportunity of testing these different prototypes in the rough waters of Orkney comes thanks to the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC). The tests aim at verifying the capability of the machinery of surviving in a very hostile environment. E.ON, Scottish Power Renewables, Vattenfall, ABB, Kawasaki- all of the big international players in the power sector are investing in the promising technologies being tested in Orkney.
Research and development for new technologies involve high investment costs. The rapid progress that has been made in Scotland would have been unthinkable without massive support from the government.
-tk-