German Utility E.ON has unveiled its first wave power generator in the UK, which is designed and constructed by Pelamis and is capable of generating 750kW of renewable energy.
The device named Vagr Atferd (Norse for wave power) P2 wave energy converter will be installed and tested at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney. The device is 180m long and weighs approximately 1,500 tonnes.
E.ON said that the installation of the Pelamis wave energy converter at EMEC will be the first time that the P2 machine has been tested anywhere globally and also represents the UK’s first commercial supply contract within the marine energy sector.
Dr Paul Golby, CEO of E.ON UK, said: “It’s essential that we continue to invest in new technologies, like the Vagr Atferd, to harness the power of nature and to accelerate our transition to a low carbon economy.”
Tom Delay, CEO of Carbon Trust, said: “Having supported Pelamis with funding from the Marine Renwables Proving Fund, we look forward to continuing to work with them and E.ON testing the device and bringing it a step closer to commercial deployment.”