A new consent for an existing site at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) will be “useful” to smaller renewable energy developers, the project’s specialist has said.
Caitlin Long, EMEC’s environment and consents specialist, said the new Billia Croo wave test site off the west coast of Orkney, will make the process ” a lot easier for developers”.
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) is applying for site-wide Section 36 consent at its grid connected Billia Croo site.
The consent is required under the Electricity Act 1989 for any developers with a generating capacity of greater than one megawatt (MW).
EMEC’s application for a site-wide Section 36 consent at Billia Croo is for a maximum installed generating capacity of 20 MW across the site.
The consent will last until 2040, future-proofing the consenting process for clients accessing EMEC’s facilities.
Ms Long said: “EMEC acquired and implemented a site-wide section 36 consent for our tidal test site at the Fall of Warness in 2016.
“This enabled Orbital Marine Power and Magallanes Renovables to successfully install 2 MW tidal energy technologies at the site without having to obtain additional consents due to their technologies being rated over 1 MW.
“At present, any technologies with a generating capacity over 1 MW must go through a more arduous consenting process prior to deployment.”
