JAPANESE firm Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) is to use Scottish waters to test a tidal-energy system it has been developing, it was announced yesterday.
The global transport and industrial-equipment manufacturer is to trial its tidal-power general system at the European Marine Energy Centre’s Fall of Warness site in Orkney in addition to a site in southern Japan.
The system is designed to generate electricity from tides using turbines set up in the sea and is planned to be tested at Emec from 2013.
KHI, which makes aircraft, trains, ships and power plants as well as Kawasaki motorcycles and Jet Ski watercraft, joins a growing number of British and overseas firms testing wave and tidal-power devices at Emec, which has had more devices tested at it than any other site globally. By the end of this year, it will be hosting 10 different full-scale marine energy prototypes.
Emec commercial director Richard Morris said: “To have Kawasaki, a large multinational company, carrying out vital technology development work at Emec, the world’s first and only accredited wave and tidal test site, demonstrates our world-leading position, which further cements Scotland at the forefront of the renewable energy industry.
“Our site is home to technology developers from across the globe, and our ongoing aim is to expand our operations in key locations including the Americas, Asia and continental Europe.
“There are significant wave and tidal resources in all of these areas and it is key that we continue to work with developers worldwide, to ensure we maintain and further grow our reputation for excellence both as a test centre and consultancy provider.”
The company’s announcement was also welcomed by First Minister Alex Salmond and Scottish Development International (SDI), which had helped to bring KHI, Emec and the Scottish Government together to allow the Japanese firm to test its technology in Scotland.
KHI is made up of about 100 companies in Japan and worldwide and has a turnover of more than £10.1billion.
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