OUT & ABOUT INTERVIEW WIND ENERGY
Richard completed his degree and for 6 years worked as a self-employed design engineer, including a series of major projects in the emerging wind energy sector, working to solve vibration problems on large turbines. However, wave energy was still on his radar.
In the late 90’s the Scottish Government was becoming interested in the power of the waves again and offered a commercial tariff in the sector. This was the signal Yemm had been waiting for to take the sector from a research interest to a commercial opportunity – and ‘Pelamis’ was born.
PELAMIS WAVE POWER All revenues from increasing work in the wind sector were ploughed back into towards developing the new Pelamis technology, After an intensive period of initial research, Pelamis Wave Power was formally founded in 1998. The company grew and gathered momentum through securing its first major external Venture Capital investment in 2002 - this matched with a dedicated team of colleagues and a generous dose of ‘serendipity’ along the way set them on the path to deliver a world first!
EUROPEAN MARINE ENERGY CENTRE
2003 saw the gearing up of the European Marine Energy Centre for wave and tidal power in Orkney, with unparalleled capabilities and facilities.
Richard says that the Orkney Islands are the ideal location for the centre an open aspect to Atlantic waves in close proximity to Scapa Flow, one of Europe’s finest natural harbours. With a long history of making a livelihood from the sea, this development was wholeheartedly welcomed by the entrepreneurial Orkney community.
This testing facility has allowed Pelamis to develop and test prototypes over the last few years. The first of these delivered the World’s first power from offshore waves to an onshore grid, a true ‘Edison’ moment for the whole sector. Since then the technology has been progressively refined and as we speak two Pelamis P2 machines are on test in the turbulent Atlantic seas!
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www.wavetidalenergynetwork.co.uk
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