Nov.26, 2009
The world’s largest
working hydro-electric wave energy device has been officially launched in Scotland. Known as Oyster
, the device, stationed at the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC) Billia Croo site near Stromness, was installed this year and is, at present, the world’s only hydro-electric wave energy device which is producing power.
The Oyster was switched on by Prime Minister Alex Salmond and the device was connected to the national grid for the first time. The development is been hailed as a major step forward for Scotland’s wave energy industry. "Oyster" produces power by pumping high pressure water to its onshore hydro-electric turbine which feeds into the national grid to power homes in nearby Orkney and beyond.
The device is wave energy company Aquamarine Power’s first demonstration-scale wave energy device. The company believes that a farm of 20 Oysters would provide enough energy to power 9,000 three bedroom family homes.
