Aquamarine unveils 250% power boost

Efforts to generate cost- effective power from the sea took a step forward yesterday as Edinburgh-based wave energy developer Aquamarine launched its latest device.

The giant Oyster 800 machine can generate 250 per cent of the power of the firm's first full-scale device, which was installed and grid-connected at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney in late 2009. The new device was built at just one-third of the cost of the first-generation Oyster machine.

First Minister Alex Salmond unveiled the machine at Burnt-island Fabrications' yard at Methil, in Fife.

Salmond said: "Today is a significant day for Aquamarine Power and for Scotland's wider offshore renewables sector, which continues to develop a wide range of low-carbon energy technologies to enable us to fully harness the huge energy resources around our own coast and contribute to global efforts to expand clean, green electricity generation."

Martin McAdam, chief executive at Aquamarine, said: "Our goal is to make future Oysters cost-competitive within the next few years. The Oyster 800 will help us gather the data that we need to deliver on that.

"A farm of just 20 Oyster 800 devices would generate sufficient power for up to 15,000 homes."

John Robertson, managing director of Burntisland Fabrications, added: "We are very impressed with the team at Aquamarine and their proactive approach in development, design engineering and the manufacturing of the Oyster 800.

"We are confident that Aquamarine will be a leading supplier of wave energy devices in the UK and internationally."