A new wave-energy device, created by Scottish company AlbaTERN, is in place at a salmon farm off the Inner Hebridean island of Muck.
The innovative collaboration between renewable-energy and aquaculture has seen a WaveNET machine sited at Marine Harvest’s latest fish farm, which is due to be stocked in summer.
WaveNET, which consists of the world’s first coupled array of three units known as Squids, has already undergone preparatory trials at the dry dock at Kishorn Port in Wester Ross.
It will help supply electricity for the salmon farm, which relies on a diesel generator.
David Campbell, chief financial officer at Midlothian-based AlbaTERN, said: “This is a hugely significant milestone for us but we still have quite a long way to go.
“The next few months will allow us to test the devices in the water and assess both their generating performance and their ability to survive and operate reliably in what can be a very hostile marine environment.”
He added: “We were very lucky to be able to use the dry dock at Kishorn for testing the device.
“With the very challenging weather in December and the early part of 2014 this facility allowed operations to continue which would have been almost impossible anywhere else.
“In fact this whole project has been an example of great partnership between many of the key players in Lochaber business.
“The islanders on Muck and Eigg have also been very interested and helpful to us in carrying out this project.”
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