Last week’s launch of the Oyster took place at EMEC’s Billia Croo site near Stromness, where the device was installed this summer. Scotland’s First Minister was on site to switch on Oyster for the first time. The device, which was developed by wave energy company Aquamarine Power, is currently the world’s only hydro-electric wave energy device which is producing power.
Oyster generates power by pumping high pressure water to its onshore hydro-electric turbine, which will then be fed into the National Grid to power homes in Orkney and beyond. According to Aquamarine Power, “a farm of 20 Oysters would provide enough energy to power 9,000 three bedroom family homes”.
Speaking at the launch, Scotland’s First Minister said: “I’m delighted to see first-hand the full-scale Oyster now installed and operating offshore. This is a key milestone for Aquamarine Power and for Scotland’s marine renewables sector”.
Salmond went on to announce: “I am delighted to confirm further R&D funding of almost £1m to Aquamarine Power for the development of Oyster 2, which could be installed within two years”.
Oceans Scotland's best renewable resource
Scotland's renewables potential is estimated to be around 60GW, with its waters holding around 10% of Europe’s wave power potential and as much as a quarter of its tidal power potential. The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) provides world-leading test facilities for Aquamarine and other companies to develop the technology needed to harness this huge untapped potential.
“This is a fantastic day for the wave energy industry and for Aquamarine Power. We have proved what we always believed – that wave energy can produce sustainable zero-emission electricity to power our homes. The UK has one of the best wave resources in the world. Now it also has the best technology,” said Martin McAdam, Chief Executive Officer of Aquamarine Power.
Oyster is Aquamarine Power’s first demonstration-scale wave energy device. Its performance will now be monitored and the results from the testing will provide a basis for the design of the next-generation commercial-scale Oyster.
Oyster is designed to capture the energy found in nearshore waves in water depths between 10 and 16 metres. The benefit of Oyster is its simplicity. There are minimal moving parts and all electrical components are onshore, making it robust enough to withstand the rigours of Scotland’s harsh seas.
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