Orkney-based consultancy Aquatera will conduct environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the proposed tidal test site in Nagasaki, Japan.
The contract award was confirmed by Toshiyuki Sakai, Head of the Nagasaki Marine Industry Cluster Promotion Association, during a meeting with Scotland’s External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop, held today, February 16, 2017.
The test center, planned to be established off Goto islands in Japan will represent a Japanese version of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Scotland, which has late in 2015 agreed to advise on the infrastructure needed to develop the test site in Japan.
Sakai said: “Nagasaki is now in the process of setting up its marine renewable energy industry. Our industry has a lot to learn from Scottish companies who are leaders in this field. Through collaboration and the exchange of people and information between Nagasaki and Scotland we want to work hard together for mutual success.”
Gareth Davies , Managing Director of Aquatera, said: “We hope that the work we jointly undertake will help establish best practice for this pioneering tidal test site and for many future projects across a variety of sites and technologies. We believe tidal energy can be an important energy provider, particularly in island situations, such as here in the amazing Goto islands.”
Aquatera became a member of the Nagasaki Marine Industry Cluster Promotion Association in April last year, partnering at the same time with the Japanese company Shibuya Diving for the delivery of marine energy projects in Japan and South Asia.