First sign of wave power as buoy is placed off St Ninian’s Isle

The first real sign that wave power is coming to Shetland appeared off St Ninian’s Isle today in the shape of a yellow buoy to measure the waves.

Aegir Wave Power said it was vital to monitor how rich the wave resource is for its proposed 10 MegaWatt farm made up of between 10 and 14 Pelamis P2 machines, due in 2015.

The wave rider buoy will transmit measurement data to a shore receiver which will also help Aegir decide the design of the anchoring system for the machines.

The buoy was put in place with help from the NAFC Marine Centre in Scalloway using its new Malakoff-built catamaran workboat Havra. Aegir has signed a contract with the centre to assist in project development activities, which include monitoring and maintaining the wave buoy.

Aegir development manager Andrew Scott said being able to call on the centre’s support was “tremendously useful and re-assuring”.

NAFC centre director David Gray said the institution was delighted to be involved in such an exciting project at this early stage.

The buoy is about two-and-a-half miles west of St Ninian’s Isle. It measures about one metre in diameter and has a flashing light. A second one is due to join it later in the year to learn about how the wave climate varies.

Aegir is a joint venture between Swedish power company Vattenfall and Leith-based wave machine designer Pelamis.