No change regarding marine renewables, says SSE

Concerns that energy giant Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) were pulling out of marine renewables projects in the county are unfounded, according to a spokesman today.

An SSE announcement this morning, that the company is to shed jobs and cut back on offshore wind energy developments as it freezes energy bills,  prompted speculation of the future of the involvement of the company in marine energy development projects in Orkney.

However, a spokesman said this afternoon that the original statement was re-iterating SSE’s position, announced last September, that it would look at its whole renewable energy portfolio and work with partners to explore ways in which SSE could scale back its future activities. This position, he said, has not changed.

Martin McAdam, chief executive officer of Aquamarine Power, said: “SSE and Aquamarine Power continue to work closely together on the development of their 200MW joint venture Brough Head Wave Farm off the west coast of Orkney, and SSE remains a major shareholder of Aquamarine Power.”