International Power Marine Development, a subsidiary of power generation company International Power plc, has shared plans for a 10MW tidal stream farm in the Pentland Firth.
The company, which is now waiting for an environmental assessment, Crown Estate Lease and planning consent, has set up an office in Thurso, from where James Minto will oversee the project.
Minto said, "This tidal farm will complement prototype testing and bring tidal stream technology to commercial reality. Together with stakeholders, we have an opportunity to create industry best practice for environmental impact assessments and marine operations."
According to newenergyfocus.com, consultancy firm Xodus Group has been appointed to carry out an environmental impact assessment on the site planned for the proposals. And, tidal stream devices from Tidal Generation Ltd (TGL) are lined up for the project, although IPMD was unable to disclose how many devices it is planning to deploy.
Louise Smith, Highlands and Islands Enterprise manager of the project, said: "It is encouraging to see companies of this calibre developing a detailed strategy for generating power from the Pentland Firth. The granting of leases by the Crown Estate has unlocked a logical process for developers to pursue and we look forward to a structured expansion of tidal energy production from the firth over the coming years."
