On February 22nd 2011 the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne, welcomed the signing of a £3 million marine renewable energy contract between Edinburgh based wave energy developer Aquamarine Power and Fugro Seacore.
The contract is to install the foundation system for Aquamarine Power's next generation wave energy device, known as Oyster 2, which will be installed in Orkney this summer.
Mr Huhne welcomed the contract on a visit to Fugro Seacore where he enjoyed a tour of the facilities and witnessed Aquamarine Power's Chief Executive Martin McAdam and Fugro Seacore's Managing Director Bob Jenkins officially sign the deal.
"This is good news for the British marine energy sector - from here in Falmouth to Orkney where the Oyster device will be deployed", Mr Huhne said.
Fugro Seacore will commence drilling and installation of steel piles for 3 Oyster devices this summer at Billia Croo near Stromness, Orkney. The Company previously installed the piles for Aquamarine Power's Oyster 1, also at Billia Croo in 2009. A single Oyster 2 device will be installed this summer with a further two in 2012. Together these 3 devices will form a 2.4MW array connected to a single onshore generating plant.