By Renewable Energy Focus staff

At All-Energy in Aberdeen, Scotland, EMEC also announced it has attracted its first client, AlbaTERN, which will submerge its SQUID wave energy converter at EMEC this summer. The SQUID looks like a large balloon when filled with water with link arms trailing behind – hence the name. The test device will have a capacity of 10 kW.

Neil Kermode, EMEC’s Managing Director, said: “It’s vital that developers have the opportunity to literally get metal wet. That’s what we offer at EMEC and I’m delighted that ALbaTERN will be taking their device to sea at our new test facilities. These new sites open the way for marine energy technologies to undergo sea trials in more gentle conditions that those experienced at our main wave and tidal test sites – we’re responding to the needs of developers in opening the new sites.”

The wave site is within Scapa Flow, north west of St Mary’s Bay and the tidal site is near Shapinsay Sound off the Head of Holland, Orkney.

Test support buoys have been commissioned for both sites to gather data and dissipate electricity generated by the wave and tidal devices.