Wave energy plans announced

**Anfield** · 16-Mar-10, 17:01

Ten sites on the seabed off the north coast of Scotland have been leased out to power companies in an effort to generate wave and tidal energy.

It appears that 8 of the 10 sites are in Orkney, with just two, Armadale & Duncansby on this side of the water

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/...ds/8564662.stm

**northener** · 16-Mar-10, 17:16

It will interesting to see how this develops.
There's a lot of optimism surrounding the long-term viability of tidal energy, but i wonder if we'll ever develop equipment robust enough to deliver the power without turning the Pentland Firth into a giant production field of machinery?

**bekisman** · 16-Mar-10, 17:17

Sounds good - seem to remember (15?) years ago a wave device was tried off Dounreay and battered to bits? Hopefully these new ones are built to last..

Bit confused, it says: "and to Pelamis Wave Power for the Armadale site in the Pentland Firth off Sutherland." IS the Pentland Firth off Armadale - thought Armadale was too far west to be called Pentand Firth?.. maybe not.

**Phill** · 16-Mar-10, 17:24

I understand there are a lot of people expecting it to be the next Dounreay, financially speaking.

We should stop büggering about with this pedelo nonsense and get a new reactor fired up and then we can take a hacksaw to these windymills.

just a thought

**captain chaos** · 16-Mar-10, 18:14

Typical that First Minister Salmond could not be bothered to get of his ass and come up to the North and announce the tidal and Wave power development.

Had to do it by live video.

**Dog-eared** · 16-Mar-10, 18:19

The wave device off Dounreay was designed to fail.

**David Banks** · 16-Mar-10, 20:22

. . . for these marine sources of free energy?
Are they going to be designed for the once-in-a-hundred-years' storms that the Pentland Firth will provide?

What will happen to the hydraulic oil or other fluids on board when one of these wave units gets smashed to smithereens?
What happens when the anchor chains get pulled out?

What level of damage to the marine environment (seals, whales, sellags) by the tidal turbines will be considered acceptable?

What happens to (ordinary) vessels that go adrift in the vicinity?

Who IS going to protect the marine environment? - I want names, addresses (no P.O. boxes) and telephone numbers.

Or are we just supposed to take everything on 'trust?'

(and this is me when I'm not being cynical)

**LMS** · 17-Mar-10, 00:44

Originally Posted by Phill

I understand there are a lot of people expecting it to be the next Dounreay, financially speaking.

We should stop büggering about with this pedelo nonsense and get a new reactor fired up and then we can take a hacksaw to these windymills.

just a thought

I saw the Dounreay one in 'action' before it went into bits, it was a disaster. It is a great idea but I can't see the gear being robust enough. I genuinely hope it is though. Can't fault Phill's comments and love the hacksaw bit! Nuclear is the way to go.

**Boozeburglar** · 17-Mar-10, 00:56

Originally Posted by Dog-eared

The wave device off Dounreay was designed to fail.

Har har!

Another conspiracy?

**ducati** · 17-Mar-10, 01:22

I think that, as is widely being touted around the news just now, the hope that this will create a new Aberdeen in the area is a bit optimistic. It is a very different kettle of fish supporting exploration and production on hundreds of platforms manned by hundreds of people, to deploying and maintaining a few dozen unmanned bits of kit. Much of which will be built elsewhere then presumably shipped direct to site.

**Phill** · 17-Mar-10, 01:25

Originally Posted by ducati

I think that, as is widely being touted around the news just now, the hope that this will create a new Aberdeen in the area is a bit optimistic. It is a very different kettle of fish supporting exploration and production on hundreds of platforms manned by hundreds of people, to deploying and maintaining a few dozen unmanned bits of kit. Much of which will be built elsewhere then presumably shipped direct to site.

Ahh but! You've missed the bit about dredging. We'll make a bloody fortune dredging up all the scrap metal once these things have bin' battered to bits.

**ducati** · 17-Mar-10, 01:28

Originally Posted by Phill

Ahh but! You've missed the bit about dredging. We'll make a bloody fortune dredging up all the scrap metal once these things have bin' battered to bits.

Fancy a partnership with Fred in the scrap metal business? Mind you, our Nuclear Reactor restoration antics left a bit to be desired.

**Phill** · 17-Mar-10, 01:54

Originally Posted by ducati

Mind you, our Nuclear Reactor restoration antics left a bit to be desired.

Sod the restoration, I'm building a new one in me bedroom.
A bit of upscaling and bingo..................

**fred** · 17-Mar-10, 02:06

Originally Posted by ducati

I think that, as is widely being touted around the news just now, the hope that this will create a new Aberdeen in the area is a bit optimistic. It is a very different kettle of fish supporting exploration and production on hundreds of platforms manned by hundreds of people, to deploying and maintaining a few dozen unmanned bits of kit. Much of which will be built elsewhere then presumably shipped direct to site.

1.3 gW is one hell of a lot of electricity, they ain't gonna ship that that lot south even with super pylons, they'd lose a quarter of it in line loss before it reached Denny anyway.

If it happens the industries that use a lot of electricity will move here.

**Boozeburglar** · 17-Mar-10, 02:14

Originally Posted by fred

1.3 gW is one hell of a lot of electricity, they ain't gonna ship that that lot south even with super pylons, they'd lose a quarter of it in line loss before it reached Denny anyway.

If it happens the industries that use a lot of electricity will move here.

I reckon we will see the first logic-eccentric super city on mainland Scotland.

Thurso burgeoning to 2 million by 2050, fired up on 24 hour welding courses and electric flares.

**Aaldtimer** · 17-Mar-10, 04:44

Originally Posted by LMS

I saw the Dounreay one in 'action' before it went into bits, it was a disaster. It is a great idea but I can't see the gear being robust enough. I genuinely hope it is though. Can't fault Phill's comments and love the hacksaw bit! Nuclear is the way to go.

Aye LMS, I saw it too.
It was a perfectly good idea but was completely inadequately designed for the job.
IIRC, it was called "Osprey"(?), totally no inside support framework of any strength, and peeled like an orange in the mildest of weather, gentle swells etc.
God knows what would have happened to it in a gale!

Another grant of public money totally misused.

**ducati** · 17-Mar-10, 09:01

Originally Posted by fred

1.3 gW is one hell of a lot of electricity, they ain't gonna ship that that lot south even with super pylons, they'd lose a quarter of it in line loss before it reached Denny anyway.

If it happens the industries that use a lot of electricity will move here.

Yes that is a thought, I read about plans (can't remember where though

) for a data centre based in Orkney taking power directly from it's own tide turbine.

**cazmanian_minx** · 17-Mar-10, 11:38

Originally Posted by ducati

Yes that is a thought, I read about plans (can't remember where though

) for a data centre based in Orkney taking power directly from it's own tide turbine.

Thought it was Castle of Mey?

http://energy.pressandjournal.co.uk/...2160/?UserKey=

**bekisman** · 17-Mar-10, 11:40

Originally Posted by fred

1.3 gW is one hell of a lot of electricity, they ain't gonna ship that that lot south even with super pylons, they'd lose a quarter of it in line loss before it reached Denny anyway.

If it happens the industries that use a lot of electricity will move here.

No can't see that; postage will be too much (we're not part of the British Mainland you know!)