News
Pentland Firth 'could power Scotland twice over'
Robert Leslie 23/06/2007 16:21:00
AN EDINBURGH academic has unveiled his concept for an underwater
turbine that would harness the tidal flows in the depths of the
Pentland Firth - which he claims could power Scotland twice over.
Professor Stephen Salter of Edinburgh University says he believes the
Firth could produce as much as 10-20 gigawatts (GW) of electricity -
Hunterston B nuclear power station produces 1GW.
His rows of turbines would stretch across the Firth, including between
Stroma and Swona, with 2000m channels left for larger vessels to weave
back and forth in a slalom pattern to avoid collisions with the
machines.
It has long been known that the waters between Orkney and the Scottish
mainland hold massive energy potential. Former First Minister Jack McConnell, during his April 2006
visit to Orkney's European Marine Energy Centre, was astounded to learn
that the Firth could provide 25% of Europe's energy needs.
Despite the £13 million announced in February from the Labour/Lib
Dem-led Executive for marine and tidal energy developments, Professor
Salter was turned by the same government for funding to investigate the
potential of installing a tidal machine at depths previously considered
out of reach. However, he now believes the SNP government will be more
receptive.
Professor Salter told a Scottish daily newspaper: "If we could do this,
we could get twice the electricity Scotland uses at peak demand - it's
absolutely enormous. The Pentland Firth is the Saudi Arabia of marine
energy. But, if you are in London, energy from the Pentland Firth is a
long way away, and there's no cable to get it to your voters."
He has developed a cylindrical turbine that he believes would be able
to go deeper than ever before, to where the most powerful of the
Pentland Firth's currents flow.
The water in the fastest moving channels is at a depth of around 70
metres. Professor Salter says his machine would operate at depths of
50m, with seabed turbines installed in the bottom 20m.
Professor Salter says that fuel cells or large industrial batteries
could be used to store spare electricity, and it could also be used to
convert waste into gas or liquid fuel, possibly at a plant on Flotta.
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