News / Partners plan ahead for marine energy
SWEDISH energy giant Vattenfall has joined forces with Shetland Islands Council and Shetland Charitable Trust to drive forward the development of marine renewables in the isles.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding comes on the eve of the Dynamic Shetland renewable energy conference that has been organised to promote the islands as a base for the emerging industry.
The partners will develop a plan for ocean energy development in the waters around the isles, and come up with a strategy for the community to benefit from such projects.
They will also be focussing on promoting the construction of a £500 million electricity cable linking the isles with the national grid.
The interconnector is the vital, but still missing, piece of infrastructure on which the success of all large scale renewable energy projects in Shetland hinge.
Vattenfall is also a partner in the 10 megawatt Aegir wave farm proposal, planned off the west of the isles.
Both the SIC and SCT insisted on Tuesday that at this stage no investment commitment into renewable energy projects had been made by either of the organisations.
Any decision to invest in future marine energy projects was years away, the council’s economic development unit said.
A charitable trust spokeswoman said the organisation had entered into the partnership “to be kept in the loop” of developments.
The memorandum was signed on Tuesday afternoon by Veijo Huusko, Vatenfall’s managing director of ocean energy, SIC development committee chairman Alistair Cooper and charitable trust chairman Bill Manson.
Mr Huusko said: “The Shetland Islands’ maritime history and experience with large offshore oil and gas development makes the islands a great choice for ocean energy development.
“The work that the community has done to develop and plan their marine environment is very impressive. This partnership is a unique opportunity to work closely with the community to plan the sustainable development from the start of this emerging industry.”
Mr Manson added: “The trust is delighted to participate in this agreement and share in the information regarding this project, which it hopes and expects will be the start of a new opportunity for Shetland in the development of marine energy resources.”
The partnership approach is being supported by Highland and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish government.
Scottish finance secretary John Swinney said: “This partnership is the first of its kind in this new and burgeoning industry with the focus on helping the entire Shetland community capture the economic and social benefits of its sizeable marine energy resource.
“This partnership is a unique opportunity to work with a major European player to benefit marine energy in Shetland and to encourage the development of this emerging industry, for the benefit of everyone, from the start.”
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