The world’s first community-owned tidal turbine will be made and deployed in Scotland, the Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond announced this morning.

Owned by the community of North Yell, which received a grant of £150,000 from the Scottish Government to help its development, the turbine will sit in the water between the Shetland islands of Yell and Unst, to the north east of Scotland.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: “Scotland is leading the way in the development of marine renewables… The turbine being developed… will be used to power businesses in a Shetland community, showing the very tangible benefits that marine renewable power can bring to Scotland’s businesses and people in the years to come.”

Two Scottish firms, Steel Engineering and Nova Innovation, signed a contract to make the tidal turbine today.