This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/6377423.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Orkney to get 'biggest' wave farm Orkney to get 'biggest' wave farm
(about 1 hour later)
Scottish ministers are set to announce funding for what has been described as the world's biggest wave farm. Scottish ministers have announced funding for what has been described as the world's biggest wave energy farm.
Leith-based company Ocean Power Delivery has been testing the Pelamis device at the European Marine Energy Centre on Orkney. The Pelamis device has been tested at the European Marine Energy Centre on Orkney by Leith-based company Ocean Power Delivery.
Scottish Power wants to commission four more at the same site.Scottish Power wants to commission four more at the same site.
Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen is set to announce a £13m funding package that will also allow a number of other marine energy devices to be tested. Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen announced a £13m funding package that will also allow a number of other marine energy devices to be tested.
Ocean Power Delivery has already exported the Pelamis for use in a commercial wave farm.Ocean Power Delivery has already exported the Pelamis for use in a commercial wave farm.
Click here to see how the wave power system worksClick here to see how the wave power system works
The large, tubular segments were taken to a site off the northern coast of Portugal last year for a project which aimed to generate enough power for 1,500 households.The large, tubular segments were taken to a site off the northern coast of Portugal last year for a project which aimed to generate enough power for 1,500 households.
At that stage the company warned that the industry could be forced to quit Scotland if there were no opportunities to use the technology closer to home.At that stage the company warned that the industry could be forced to quit Scotland if there were no opportunities to use the technology closer to home.
Scotland has the potential to generate a quarter of Europe's marine energy Nicol StephenDeputy first minister
Now Scottish Power is planning a venture which it believes could create enough power for 2,000 homes.Now Scottish Power is planning a venture which it believes could create enough power for 2,000 homes.
The biggest single handout of more than £4m will go to a Scottish Power subsidiary, CRE Energy, which will build the wave farm.
Mr Stephen said: "Today marks a vital milestone in Scotland's drive to be the world leader in the development of marine renewables."
Create jobs
Of the Pelamis scheme, he said: "This will be the world's biggest commercial wave project - significantly bigger than the major Portuguese scheme.
"Scotland has the potential to generate a quarter of Europe's marine energy and kick-starting the sector is vital if we are to create a significant industry based in Scotland and meet our long-term renewables targets."
Mr Stephen said the industry had the potential to create thousands of jobs and attract millions of pounds of investment.
Friends of the Earth Scotland's chief executive, Duncan McLaren, said: "Wave and tidal power could supply a fifth of UK's electricity needs and Scotland is ideally placed to generate significant amounts of this pollution-free energy.Friends of the Earth Scotland's chief executive, Duncan McLaren, said: "Wave and tidal power could supply a fifth of UK's electricity needs and Scotland is ideally placed to generate significant amounts of this pollution-free energy.
"It is critical that we see full-scale devices in our waters soon, otherwise the world-leading expertise Scotland has built up will rapidly depart these shores.""It is critical that we see full-scale devices in our waters soon, otherwise the world-leading expertise Scotland has built up will rapidly depart these shores."
Mr Stephen will announce the nine successful bidders who will receive a share of the Marine Energy Fund when he visits Ocean Power Delivery's headquarters on Tuesday.
'Push ahead'
He told BBC Radio Scotland he would like to see Scotland become the "renewables powerhouse of Europe".
"In the 1980s, Scotland did have an edge in terms of wind technology," he said.
"But we hesitated and failed to seize the opportunity and it went to Scandinavia, Germany and Spain.
"This time I'm determined that we push ahead as quickly as possible."
Mr Stephen said the industry had the potential to create thousands of jobs and attract millions of pounds of investment.
"The possibilities in India and China and the emerging economies for this sort of technology is verging on limitless," he said."The possibilities in India and China and the emerging economies for this sort of technology is verging on limitless," he said.
"Scotland will have the largest wave farm in the world as a result of this announcement and we're going to build from there - further investment will be required.""Scotland will have the largest wave farm in the world as a result of this announcement and we're going to build from there - further investment will be required."
Return to linkReturn to link