
Overview
Pentland Firth & Orkney Waters offer significant renewable energy resources in the form of wave and tidal stream activity.
The Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters (PFOW) covers an area off the north coast of Scotland that is of exceptional environmental quality.
With the north Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east, these waters also offer significant renewable energy resources in the form of wave and tidal stream activity.
Together, the Scottish Government and industry have identified the opportunity for developing renewable marine energy projects in these waters. Industry support activity has been intensifying through the operations of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) test facility and the creation of the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Energy Park. The first application for an array of tidal energy devices was submitted to Marine Scotland in 2012 and a further 10 are expected over the coming years as The Crown Estate deliver their commercial scale wave and tidal leasing round for the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters.
The emerging wave and tidal energy sector is part of the wider context of this region, where aquaculture, shipping, fishing and tourism activities are already established.