Scottish wave energy system marks first year

Companies behind a wave energy converter off the Scottish coast said a test program added 160 megawatts of electricity to the grid. ScottishPower Renewables has completed its first year of testing. The Pelamis P2 wave energy system was connected to the grid for an accumulated 7,500 hours, contributing 160 MW of electricity to the nation's grid. "These are encouraging figures for this stage of the testing program and it is anticipated that generated powers will continue to rise as the program develops," Pelamis said in a statement. The system works by converting wave energy into electricity using a snake-like device deployed offshore. The company's involved in the project tested it during stronger seas throughout the year. Each unit in the system can generate as much as 100 kilowatts of electricity during normal wave conditions in northern Scottish waters. It operates routinely in waves as high as 8 feet. "We anticipate further significant improvements over the next 12 months, with the remainder of the test plan focused on optimizing the power produced in the full range of sea-states in order to progress the technology towards commercially-viable status," ScottishPower Renewables Director Alan Mortimer said in a statement.