Westside Lewis harbour wave farm scheme in jeopardy 26/7/11
Plans to build a £30 million wave energy farm off the westside of Lewis are in tatters after its backer pulled out.
Energy firm RWE npower renewables has withdrawn from the project which aimed to involve around 50 jobs in building the four megawatt development in Shader, Barvas, Lewis.
The scheme which would have created a harbour for local boats had been hailed as an example of Scottish leadership in renewable energy.
But RWE is unconvinced of the technology which would have pistons driven by the action of the waves pumping air up and down the interior of concrete towers thus generating electricity. It believes other types of generation is more effective.
It has broken off its partnership with Inverness-
Wavegen is now in talks with other potential investors. A spokesman said: “We are in discussion with a number of parties in order to seek an owner and investor in the plant.”
A series of generators would be incorporated into a breakwater to absorb the power of heavy Atlantic rollers and create a sheltered quay for local leisure and creel boats.
The energy from Siadar Bay could supply up to 2,500 homes annually and Wavegen revealed there was great interest in replicating the model in other exposed coastal communities.
It was dubbed the “world’s biggest wave farm” as it was the largest capacity scheme in progress when it received planning permission in 2009.
Financial uncertainty dogged its advance but a £6 million Scottish Government grant last year sparked hopes that the building work to install ten turbines would start this year.
RWE npower renewables is owned by the giant German RWE group.