EXCLUSIVE by Scottish Energy News
Scotland has landed a major renewable energy prize this year as host of the international Ocean Energy Europe annual conference.
The Brussels-based trade association has held previous conferences in France, Holland and the Republic of Ireland and its 2018 event will be held later this year in Edinburgh.
More than 400 marine energy professionals from all parts of the industry and from 20 countries are expected to attend.
An OEE spokesman said: “Scotland has long been a world leader in offshore energy. Today, Scotland’s pioneering offshore oil industry is transitioning into offshore renewables, and helping it lead the world in ocean energy technologies.
“Boasting 25% of Europe’s tidal energy resource and 10% of its wave energy resource, Scotland’s total ocean energy resource is estimated at a huge 33GW.
“Combine this with the world’s first tidal farms and more than a decade of specialised ocean energy expertise, and it’s no surprise that Scotland is at the forefront of the sector’s development.”
Despite the collapse of the budding domestic wave-power developers Pelamis and Aquamarine Energy, the greatest technical – and emerging financial – triumph in Scotland’s marine energy sector is sea-bed tidal turbines where Atlantis Resources is currently building the massive MeyGen array off the Caithness coast.
Last week, Atlantis launched a new five year bond – with an 8% coupon (rate of interest) – to raise up to £5 million for new tidal energy projects.
6 Feb 2018
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