Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has formally unveiled a tidal turbine that is set to become operational in the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth.
The 200-tonne,15m-tall and 16m-in-diameter 1.5MW turbine is the first of four set to be completed at the Nigg Energy Park in the Highlands for Atlantis Resources’ MeyGen project.
The project is claimed to be the world’s first large-scale tidal-energy farm (the Scottish Executive Government has supplied more than £20 million worth of funding to help develop the tidal-energy farm).
The project still faces a number of challenges. The very currents desirable for electricity generation complicate installation of the turbines, each of which weighs more than 1,000 tonnes (a combination of their structure and ballast).
William Bremner, a skipper on the ferry that runs from nearby John o’Groats, said: “The Pentland Firth is a nightmare for mariners.
Most work on the undersea site is limited to short periods of slack in the current, particularly during smaller fortnightly neap tides.” Dave Rigg, Atlantis’s head of engineering services, said: “The kit has to be incredibly robust in order to survive a sub-sea tidal environment. Some 40m of water flowing at nearly 15mph creates huge loads.”
Ahead of her visit to the Nigg yard, Ms Sturgeon said that MeyGen is set to invigorate the marine renewables industry in Scotland and provide “vital jobs” for a skilled workforce, “retaining valuable offshore expertise that
would otherwise be lost overseas”.
She added: “There is no doubt that the eyes of the world are on this project, which is why the Scottish Government’s investment is so crucially important. Yet it is absolutely vital that the UK Government honours its earlier commitment to provide a ring-fenced allocation for marine energy in its renewables support scheme.”
Tim Cornelius, chief executive of Atlantis Resources, said the day marked a “historic milestone” for the global tidal-power industry.
“This is the day the tidal-power industry announced itself as the most exciting new asset class of renewable, sustainable generation in the UK’s future energy mix. This is an industry that is creating jobs, and Scotland is the undisputed world leader of this high-growth sector.
"Moreover, the fact that the first turbine was assembled at what was an oil and gas fabrication yard illustrates the opportunities offered by renewables.
"It gives me enormous pride to have reached this juncture after 10 years of tireless work, preparation and planning by everyone associated with this project. It is possible to consider the first sparks of power will come in late October.”
Atlantis hopes to eventually expand the project to up to 269 turbines, with completed turbines being transported north by sea from the Nigg Energy Park on the Cromarty Firth to the tidal-energy farm site on the Pentland Firth, which separates the north Caithness coast and Orkney.