By Renewable Energy Focus staff

The tidal stream array from ScottishPower Renewables, represents an investment of around £40 million, and will use Hammerfest Strom’s HS1000 tidal turbine, which will be built by Burntisland Fabrication Ltd under a £2m contract.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney, says: "With around a quarter of Europe's potential tidal energy resource and a tenth of the wave capacity, Scotland's seas have unrivalled potential to generate green energy, create new, low carbon jobs, and bring billions of pounds of investment to Scotland.

“This development – the largest tidal array in the world – does just that and will be a milestone in the global development of tidal energy.”

He adds that ScottishPower Renewables will work with the Islay Energy Trust to “maximise social and economic opportunities” for the local community.