The Grand Challenge phase of the Scottish Government’s Saltire Prize officially began today, with a launch event in Orkney hosted by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
The Saltire Prize is a £10 million marine energy challenge, which will be won by the team that achieves the greatest volume of electrical output in Scottish waters over the minimum hurdle of 100GWh over a continuous two-year period, using only the power of the sea.
Pelamis Wave Power CEO Per Hornung Pedersen and Founder and Director Richard Yemm both attended the Grand Challenge launch event alongside senior representatives of the three other marine power companies registered for the Challenge. Pelamis Wave Power was the first Official Applicant of the Saltire Prize Challenge for the Farr Point wave farm project off the north coast of Sutherland.
Pelamis CEO Per Hornung Pedersen said:
“Scotland’s innovative engineering culture, distinguished marine and offshore heritage and prodigious ocean resources have positioned Scotland at the forefront of the marine energy industry since its inception. The Scottish Government’s Saltire Prize competition is putting Scotland’s wave and tidal technologies on a global pedestal, and as competitors we will show the world what Scotland’s marine power sector can achieve. Pelamis was delighted to be the first official applicant for the Saltire Prize and we’re working intensively to deliver the robust commercial technology required to win it, and through that the compelling ‘win-win’ of renewable energy generation and industrial opportunity that this sector represents for Scotland.”
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:
“Scotland’s clean energy challenge to the world has helped draw international attention to the planet-saving potential of wave and tidal power. With the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney hosting an array of devices, we should not lose sight of how far this vibrant young industry has come in recent years. Lease agreements, including up to 1.6 GW of installed marine energy generating capacity in the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters, are now in place, major power and engineering conglomerates are investing in various wave and tidal energy technologies and no fewer than 11 devices have been deployed or are in the process of deployment at EMEC, with 14 due there by 2014.
“The Saltire Prize sets a considerable challenge to competitors – reflecting the huge potential of harnessing marine energy. The four competitors have stepped up to the challenge, and in so doing can drive each other still further and faster forward, towards the goal of large-scale commercial electricity generation from the power of the world’s seas and oceans.”
[mappress]
Press Release, August 28, 2012