Major tidal energy scheme set for waters off Islay

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 17 Mar 2011, 06:52

BBC News - 17/03/11

A major tidal energy project is to be built in the Sound of Islay off the west coast of Scotland.

The Scottish government is to approve plans for 10 tidal turbines, which will generate enough electricity to power more than 5,000 homes.

Scottish Power Renewables is behind the scheme, said to be the world's largest.

It has put forward plans to invest £40m installing the turbines in the waters off Islay, which offer strong tidal flows and shelter from storms.

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Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 18 Mar 2011, 06:34

The Independent - 18/03/11

Tidal power, hitherto one of the poor relations of the renewable energy sector, will take a substantial leap forward with a major new undersea development off the west coast of Scotland, announced yesterday.

An array of ten tidal turbines, the largest, and indeed the first of its kind in the world, is to be installed on the seabed in the Sound of Islay, the channel between the islands of Islay and Jura.

It is envisaged that the electricity it will produce – ten megawatts – will be enough to power the whole of Islay, including three of the island’s ten world-famous whisky distilleries. The drinks multinational Diageo, owner of the Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Port Ellen distilleries, has already signed a commercial agreement to take the power the tidal array produces.

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Whiskey Galore!

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 18 Mar 2011, 22:31

Erm Whisky. Whiskey is Irish or from the new world.
/[Scottish pedant]
Renewable Whisky though, there's a thing...

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 19 Mar 2011, 08:09

RenewableCandy wrote:Erm Whisky. Whiskey is Irish or from the new world.
/[Scottish pedant]
Renewable Whisky though, there's a thing...

Unforgivable.

Having said that, I prefer Irish whiskeys - triple distilled, even the blends. Slàinte!