Scotland lands Japanese renewables deal

Scotland is set to share its marine expertise with Japan following a deal completed last week. The Orkney-based European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and the Ocean Energy Association of Japan […]

Scotland is set to share its marine expertise with Japan following a deal completed last week. The Orkney-based European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and the Ocean Energy Association of Japan (OEAJ) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop Japan’s first marine energy test centre.

Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster last year, Japan has been exploring alternative energy generation. The news also comes as the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation agreed to design a super grid for the expansion of renewable energy in the Asian continent.

Finance Secretary John Swinney welcomed the deal ahead of visits to Japan and South Korea next month: “Scotland is blessed with some of the world’s greatest green energy resources offshore. Through EMEC’s unrivalled expertise and the critical mass of companies now developing wave and tidal technologies in Scotland, we are leading international efforts to harness the unbridled energy of the seas.”

The European Marine Energy Centre provides purpose-built, open sea test facilities for wave and tidal energy converters in Orkney. The centre has 14 full-scale test berths and houses some of the most innovative marine energy devices in development.

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