The Crown Estate has awarded leases for three marine energy sites – including a new test centre.
Orkney’s Scotrenewables Tidal Power has won a lease to develop a 30MW tidal array at Lashy Sound, in Orkney.
It has previously tested a 250kW floating tidal turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. The Lashy project will help the firm move to the commercialisation stage of its device..
Isle of Wight Council has secured an agreement for lease for the Solent Ocean Energy Centre, located off the south of the Isle of Wight near St Catherine’s Point.
The centre creates a new opportunity for technology developers to test tidal devices, building experience of installation, operations and maintenance.
Swedish technology developer Minesto has secured a lease to deploy a quarter-scale (3 kW) prototype of its Deep Green Ocean Kite in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland.
This follows tests of its SeaKite tidal device. The new prototype will be deployed for two years and advance Minesto’s plans towards demonstration of a commercial model.
The sites have been awarded as a result of the fourth application window in The Crown Estate’s leasing process, for projects in connection with the Scottish Government’s Saltire Prize (in Scottish waters) and demonstration projects (all around the UK), which opened in April 2012.