World's largest wave power scheme given go-ahead THE SCOTTISH Government today gave the green light for the world's largest wave power scheme to be developed in the stormy seas off the coast off Lewis. Edinburgh-based Aquamarine Power has received full consent from the Government Ministers to develop a 40 megawatt wave farm - the world's largest fully-permitted ocean energy site. The announcement of the go ahead was made by Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, on the opening day of the All Energy conference and exhibition in Aberdeen, the major showcase of the renewables industry. Aquamarine, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Lewis Wave Power, plans to begin installing their "Oyster" wave energy machines at the site within the next few years - once the necessary grid connections have been put in place. The aim is to ultimately deploy between 40 and 50 of the special wave power devices along the coast at Lag na Greine, near to Fivepenny Borve, with a combined capacity to power nearly 30,000 homes. Energy giant SSE announced last week that the company would not be able to commission work on a Western Isles subsea electricity cable, costing more than £700 million, before 2017. Next steps Aquamarine Power are currently testing their second full scale wave machine, known as the Oyster 800, at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, and are now producing electrical power to the grid. Martin McAdam, the chief executive of Aquamarine, said: "This is a significant milestone for our company. The goal of our industry is to become commercial, and to do this we need two things - reliable technologies and a route to market. Our engineers are currently working hard on getting the technology right and we now have a site where we can install our first small farm, with a larger-scale commercial build out in the years ahead. We have worked in close consultation with the people and businesses of Lewis in the development of our proposals and would like to express our gratitude for their ongoing support. We were delighted with the turnout at the series of public exhibitions we held on Lewis last March, and we also commend government regulator Marine Scotland and the Western Isles Council for their positive approach. He added: "We believe wave energy presents an important opportunity for the Isle of Lewis. Our development could provide significant economic benefit to the local community. In Orkney, for example, we have spent over £5 million in the local economy during the installation of the first two Oyster devices and have worked with over 40 local companies as part of our commitment to sourcing much of the services and expertise we require locally. Mr Ewing said: "I am delighted to announce that Scottish Ministers have granted a licence to Aquamarine Power to develop the largest commercial wave array in the world. Aquamarine Power is an exciting, dynamic Scottish company that is increasingly expanding its renewable business. This is another significant milestone for Scotland's wave sector. With 10 per cent of Europe's wave power potential, and 25 per cent of its offshore wind and tidal power potential, the opportunities for Scotland are enormous."‬ Niall Stuart, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, hailed the announcement as a "fantastic milestone" for the Scottish renewables industry. He said: "This project will make a significant contribution to our energy mix once it begins generating. It's further proof that we have become home to a world leading marine energy industry that is delivering jobs and investment to communities across Scotland. However, we can't forget that this is the kind of prize that could be lost unless costs for projects to connect to the grid on the islands are set at a competitive level. Welcome development Maria McCaffery chief executive of RenewableUK said: "This is a big step forward for the marine energy sector in the UK and especially in the Scottish Islands, which has such a first-rate marine energy resource. These are the type of developments that we hope to see more of in the coming months and years to herald the opportunity that marine energy represents. Just last week we were told by a Government report that more needed to be done for the Scottish Islands to reap the benefits generated by marine energy projects. Today's announcement shows the interest industry has in the area, and we hope it will provide a spur to finding a solution, so that we can see further development of this excellent resource.  Conservation organisations also welcomed the announcement. Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: "This announcement is a fantastic boost for Scotland's marine renewables sector and will put Lewis firmly on the world map when it comes to wave energy. However, if Scotland is to rule the waves when it comes to marine renewables then it's vital we quickly resolve the issues of grid connection and transmission costs to the Scottish islands. Alongside energy saving measures, wave power and other renewables have a critical role to play in helping Scotland reduce climate emissions, create jobs and generate export opportunities. With careful planning we can harness the waves and tides while safeguarding the nation's tremendous marine environment. And Dr Richard Dixon, director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "This is great news. Wave power has a huge role to play in making clean, green electricity around the world and Scotland is a global leader in developing this technology. Scotland's energy future looks bright, with large and small scale renewables and energy efficiency set us on course to say goodbye to fossil fuels and nuclear power.