Alight on the ocean waves

Sep 28 2008 By Mark Aitken Political Editor

Exclusive Revealed: Secret £100m Plan For Scots Tidal Plants To Power 500,000 Homes

TWO massive wave farms are being planned in the seas off the north of Scotland, we can reveal.

The £100million scheme will power 500,000 homes.

ScottishPower will lodge a planning application for the giant turbines tomorrow.

Their plans will be unveiled as the Pentland Firth seabed between Caithness and Orkney is opened up for development.

First Minister Alex Salmond will travel north to make the announcement.

He says the Pentland Firth is the "Saudi Arabia of marine energy" and that an energy revolution is already under way in Scotland.

The 40-machine power plan has the support of the Scottish Government and could be operational by 2011.

Salmond claims the waters around Scotland could provide one quarter of Europe's tidal energy and one tenth of its wave power. Green energy in Scotland could provide 60 gigawatts - 10 times the country's peak energy consumption.

The Crown Estate, which owns Britain's offshore seabed, are willing to lease the section between Caithness and Orkney.

Currents turn the dynamos to produce energy and wave power is seen as less of an eyesore than wind turbines.

Environmental watchdogs Friends of the Earth said they support efforts to provide clean power.

But they warn that it should not be at the expense of environmental damage caused by the construction of massive tidal farms.

A spokesman warned that a full investigation was needed to ensure development does not wreck the seabed.

He said: "There has to be a very careful assessment before this goes ahead. If they find that it will be very damaging to the marine environment, then it shouldn't go ahead."

ScottishPower said: "Scotland has Europe's best tidal resources and some of the best locations in the world.

"It's certainly something we will be looking at bidding on and we will make further announcements after the Crown Estate decision."

The sea power plan can be revealed days after the SNP came under pressure to rethink its opposition to nuclear power after the £12.5billion takeover of British Energy by French firm EDF.

Salmond was accused of hypocrisy after urging the new owners to protect 1200 Scots jobs at EDF's HQ in East Kilbride and power stations Hunterston and Torness.

The Government insists there will be no U-turn on nuclear power but are looking at re-opening deep coal mines.

The Longannet pit, which shut in 2002, and one at Canonbie, inDumfries and Galloway, are being considered.

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