According to Aquamarine, the new 800kW device will measure 26 metres by 16 metres and will deliver "250% more power than the original Oyster 1", which was deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney last summer.

Aquamarine says that the new device incorporates design improvements on Oyster 1, enabling it to produce more energy, be simpler to install and easier to maintain.

The company wants to deploy three Oyster 2s at EMEC in summer 2011. All three devices will be linked to a single onshore 2.4 MW hydro-electric turbine. A small farm of 20, Oyster 2 devices could provide enough energy for more than 12,000 homes.

“This is a significant step forward for Aquamarine Power,” says company CEO Martin McAdam. “The design concept remains exactly the same, but we have improved every element of that design, from the size and shape of the Oyster flap, to the hydraulic power take off and pipeline system. Oyster 2 has very few moving parts, and the hydraulic elements are modular, meaning they can be swapped in and out as maintenance is required".

The development of Oyster 2 was supported through funding from the UK's Marine Renewables Proving Fund (MRPF), which is managed by the Carbon Trust.