EMEC gets on Business Green Technology Awards shortlist

European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has been shortlisted for the ‘Marine Energy Technology of the Year’ award at the Business Green Technology Awards 2016.

The Business Green Technology Awards aims to celebrate start-ups and established technology and engineering companies who are ‘turning the dream of a sustainable green economy into a reality’.

Stuart Brown, CEO of 2015’s winner of the Marine Energy Innovation of the Year Award, FloWave, explains why he nominated EMEC for the awards: “I’ve been incredibly impressed with the development of their pioneering hydrogen project which will pave the way for future energy systems, but more than that proves what can be achieved despite challenging grid constraints. Perhaps most importantly, the project, and those that follow, set out a suite of proven solutions that will have world-wide application in a variety of local scenarios.

“EMEC deserves to be acknowledged not only for their pioneering approach and technical solution, but also in making such a project work with, and for, the benefit of local companies and their community.”

To remind, EMEC invested in an electrolyser to convert tidal power to hydrogen back in 2015. The site build is currently underway and is due to be completed in early 2017, according to EMEC.

Building on this initiative, the ‘Surf ‘n’ Turf’ project, which involves EMEC with partners Community Energy Scotland, Eday Renewable Energy and Orkney Islands Council, will incorporate wind energy as well, using a fuel cell to convert the hydrogen back to electricity to power local ferries whilst berthed at the harbor.

Surf ‘n’ Turf is paving the way for other innovative hydrogen projects. For example, BIG HIT, which will use renewably generated hydrogen to power a fleet of electric vans and two hydrogen-powered boilers in Orkney.

By piloting the generation of hydrogen from renewable energy sources, these projects will help avoid grid limitations, supply local demands and support further development of marine energy projects in Orkney, EMEC said.

EMEC has been shortlisted in the ‘Marine Energy Technology of the Year’ category alongside Atlantis Resources, and Sustainable Marine Energy.

The winner of the award will be announced at an awards ceremony on December 2, 2016 in London.