The head of Orkney’s pioneering marine power research facility has won a top green energy award.
Neil Kermode, managing director of the European Marine Energy Centre, received the Outstanding Contribution award at Scottish Renewables’ Green Energy Awards last night.
Kermode, who has headed up the energy testing centre since 2005, has overseen its growth from a four-berth wave test site to one of the world’s key installations for testing wave power systems.
“It is all very well to believe you are doing the right things, but to receive such a public affirmation and unexpected endorsement is deeply moving,” he said afterwards.
“In the history of technology, the 10 short years we have been at this is the blink of an eye. Many industries never get this far this fast, so it is also important to pay tribute to those who had the timely vision to set up EMEC and to thank everybody for the unrelenting support we have had so far, and to thank you for the support I know we will enjoy in the future.”
The award comes as the Orkney facility marks its 10th anniversary.
Scottish Renewables chief executive Niall Stuart paid tribute to the centre’s work, describing Kermode as a ‘worthy winner’.
“EMEC has played a key role in the development of Scotland’s world-leading wave and tidal sector, and Neil has been at the heart of that success since the moment he joined the organisation,” he said.
