The Orkney-based European Marine Energy Centre has been named ‘Blue Economy Business of the Year’ at the European Commission’s Blue Economy Business Awards 2016.
The awards are organised by the EU Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
They aim to showcase excellent practices from industry – honouring those who have made a specific contribution to bringing and developing innovation in the blue economy.
Set up in 2003, EMEC is the world’s leading facility for testing wave and tidal energy converters in real sea conditions.
To date, more marine energy converters have been deployed in Orkney, Scotland, than at any other single site in the world with 16 wave and tidal energy clients spanning nine countries having tested 25 marine energy devices.
This number will further increase this summer as Sustainable Marine Energy’s PLAT-O and Scotrenewables Tidal Power’s SR2000 become the 26th and 27th technologies to be tested at EMEC.
Oliver Wragg, Commercial Director, said: “It’s an honour to accept this award on behalf of the EMEC team. The commitment of the team in Orkney, of the technology developers and the supporting supply chain to developing a new energy source is exceptional.
“EMEC was set up to kick-start a new sustainable industry in Europe: to harness the power of Europe’s unrivalled wave and tidal resources; to stimulate economic development in coastal European communities; and to encourage inward investment and develop export opportunities for our supply chains.
“Orkney now acts as a fantastic case study for the economic benefits that can be achieved through the activities taking place in and around a test facility – activities that if developed to a larger scale will form a new sustainable industry for the blue economy.”
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