A SeaGen tidal turbine
Bristol-based tidal energy company, Marine Current Turbines (MCT), aims to install Scotland’s first tidal energy farm within the next three years.
The 5MW farm would be in Kyle Rhea, a strait of water between the Isle of Skye and the Scottish mainland.
The development of the project is subject to securing a lease agreement from The Crown Estate, securing planning approval from Marine Scotland (part of the Scottish Government) and raising the finance for the project.
MCT estimates that the cost of the scheme, consisting of four SeaGen tidal units, will be £35million.
Project manager David Ainsworth told the BBC: “Engagement with local interests is an important part of our work and so far the response to our plans has been generally positive.
“Our experience of working in Strangford Lough has been hugely valuable in taking forward our plans for Kylerhea, and has helped assure people about the impacts of deploying our technology.”
The news comes after MCT was awarded the prize for “Tidal Energy Competitiveness 2010″ at the 1st International Tidal Energy Summit Awards ceremony and the company’s co-founder and Technical Director, Peter Fraenkel, received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his pioneering work on tidal turbines.
The Tidal Energy Competitiveness prize was awarded for MCT’s success at being the only tidal stream energy developer in the world to deliver significant electrical energy into the grid.
SeaGen, the company’s 1.2MW tidal turbine located in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough, has delivered over two and a half million kWh of power since March of this year when operating restrictions were partly relaxed and night-time operation was first permitted by the regulatory authorities.
Mr Fraenkel said: “It’s very pleasing to have our progress recognised by our peers in the tidal industry. MCT has achieved so much since it was formed ten years ago but we recognise, along with other key players in the sector, that there are many challenges still to overcome if the UK is to reap the economic and environmental benefits of tidal energy.”
