Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond unveils wave energy generator

Added by Nigel Shelbourne on July 14, 2011

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond unveiled a new wave energy generator on Thursday that generates 250% more power, yet costs 1/3 of the original version of the same generator.

The wave generator, the Oyster 800 manufactured by Scotland’s Aquamarine Power, is the latest revision of a larger generator first installed in 2009. Each generator can generate enough power for 750 homes, with 20 generators capable of powering 15,000 homes.

The company’s CEO Martin McAdam remarked “There are often waves when there’s no wind and marine energy offers an essential part of Scotland’s future low carbon energy mix”.

The new generator can be fixed to the seabed, about 500m from the shore and connected to an onshore hydro-electric generator via subsurface pipelines.

The project has been supported through grant funding awarded by Scottish Enterprise and the Carbon Trust Marine renewables Proving Fund.