Green light for 86MW tidal energy project
Approval has been given to start construction on the largest tidal energy project in Europe.
The Scottish government has granted permission for MeyGen to install the 86MW tidal array in stages in the Pentland Firth, which is located between Orkney and the Scottish mainland.
The company will begin with a 9MW demonstration project of up to six turbines.
When fully operational, however, the Scottish government believes the 86MW array could eventually yield up to 398MW – enough to power the equivalent of 42,000 homes.
Dan Pearson, MeyGen CEO, commented: "the MeyGen team and its shareholders are thrilled to have reached this defining milestone.
"While there is still much work to be done, the prospects for delivering the first tidal energy array in the Pentland Firth, thereby establishing a stepping stone to commercialising tidal energy, are promising."
