Portugal Rides the Waves
The world’s first commercial wave-power generating station was officially opened for business in Portugal today. Manuel Pinho, Portugal’s Economy Minister, performed the ceremony at Aguçadoura where the generating station floats 5 km offshore. The plant has been built by Pelamis who have hopes that the technology will take off elsewhere in the world. Initial attempts to get wave power to work in Scotland foundered because the machines proved too fragile for the Scottish weather, and perhaps due to a lack of enthusiasm on behalf of the UK government. However, Ross Henderson of Pelamis told the BBC that similar machines will be installed in Orkney and Cornwall next year, and the company is looking at projects in Norway, Spain, France, South African and North America.