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Scottish Tidal Energy
Scottish Tidal Energy
The crown estate and Scottish government are behind a £4bn project to build a number of tidal power sites around the Orkney islands and the Pentland Firth, expected to generate the same amount of power as a nuclear power station. That's 1.2GW of green energy - enough to power up to 750,000 homes.
Some estimates have suggested that a combination of tidal and wave power from the area could produce up to 60GW of power. That would represent 10 times Scotland's annual electricity usage. Other studies suggest one-third of the UK's total electricity needs could be met by tidal power alone.
The area features narrow sea channels perfectly suited to take advantage of the heavy Atlantic swell and some of the world's strongest tides. Speeds of up to 16 knots or 19mph have been recorded.
These are some of the world's first commercial wave and tidal power schemes. They incorporate SeaGen tidal turbines, twin underwater propellers attached to a column anchored to the seabed, and OpenHydro turbine, a large underwater turbine resembling a jet engine and bolted to the sea floor. OpenHydro is built by Cantick Head Tidal and will harness the firth's fierce tides at a 200MW site south of Orkney.
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