UK: MeyGen to Use Purpose-Built Catamaran for Its Tidal Energy Plans

Gills Harbour Ltd. has welcomed MeyGen’s decision to use a purpose-built catamaran for their project between the mainland and Stroma, writes John O’Groat Journal.

Namely, MeyGen is planning to install 400 electricity-generating turbines in the Inner Sound.

For this project they primarily wanted to use a 15,000 tonne support ship, but later reconsidered to use a purpose-built 40-metre catamaran with a lifting capacity of 250 tons.

MeyGen said they are developing the vessel for the tidal energy development in the Inner Sound.

“A dedicated vessel such as the ones that we are investigating are critical to the long-term economic viability of the sector. We believe there is a requirement for the wave and tidal energy sector in the Pentland Firth to have a dedicated vessel that can operate in challenging environmental conditions at a cost far less than what highly specified vessels that operate in the oil and gas sector,” said Dan Pearson CEO of MeyGen.

[mappress]

Press release, December 13, 2012; Image: meygen