Aquamarine Power played host last week to Pat Bourne, the Consul General of Ireland to Scotland.
Bourne visited Edinburgh HQ where he talked with CEO Martin McAdam.
Top of the agenda was the progress on the Oyster 800 wave machine, future cooperation between Ireland and Scotland, and a discussion on the potential to build future wave farms in Ireland, which have some of the best wave energy resources in the world.
Martin shared progress on Oyster 800, which is currently undergoing further upgrades prior to recommencing energy production this summer. Commenting on the visit, he said:
“Ireland has taken tremendous strides in the last 12 months to take a leading position in the wave energy industry. As well as their Westwave project, led by utility ESBI, they have begun to put in place a system of seabed leasing and consenting which will allow companies to develop the first Irish wave farm sites. They have also produced an Ocean Renewable Energy Development Plan, setting out other measures, including a marine energy tariff, which will incentivise the growth of the wave industry in the years ahead.
“We discussed how Ireland can continue to press forward with these positive measures, and the potential for greater links between Ireland and Scotland, with scope to share research expertise and Scotland’s experience in consenting the first wave and tidal projects,” Martin concluded.
Offshore WIND staff, March 25, 2014; Image: aquamarinepower