Companies awarded leases for north coast renewable energy development

First Minister Alex Salmond has today (16th March 2010) announced in Edinburgh the names of the companies awarded leases to develop wave and tidal power generation in the North of Scotland – in the Pentland Firgth and the Orkney Isles.

There are six sites now leased for wave energy initiatives and four for tidal energy, with each batch aimed at generating together around 600 megawatts.

Wave energy companies and sites

• SSE Renewables Developments – off Costa Head in Orkney
• SSE Renewables Developments jointly with Aquamarine Power – off Brough Head in Orkney
• ScottishPower Renewables- Marwick Head in Orkney
• E.ON – West Orkney South
• E.ON – West Orkney Middle South
• Pelamis Wave Power  – Armadale, in the Pentland Firth off Sutherland.

Tidal energy companies and sites

• SSE Renewables Developments – off Westray South in Orkney
• SSE Renewables Developments jointly with OpenHydro Site Developments – off Cantick Head in Orkney
• Marine Current Turbines – Brough Ness in Orkney
• ScottishPower Renewables – off Ness of Duncansby in the Pentland Firth in Caithness

Scotland is currently the world leader in developing wave and tidal energy technologies. Marine power is the constant and reliable source of renewable energy. The technology is immature but is developing fast. Kay agencies, like the World Wildlife Fund, are saying that, with careful management, wave and tidal energy can be harnessed without serious negative environmental impact.

All of this is important for Argyll whose seas and tidal streams are second only to the Pentland Firth as potentially rich sources of such energy.

The development sites were leased to the companies announced today by the Crown Estate, which owns the sea bed around the UK and had conducted a bidding contest beforehand.

It has to be noted that, whatever the work it does, the Crown Estate is an anomalous body whose constitutional position is indefensible in a modern state. Will this situation be revised? This is Britain.