Aquamarine Power has won the “Innovator Award 2009″ for its Oyster® wave energy converter at this year’s British Renewable Energy Awards.

Aquamarine competed against seven other shortlisted nominees to win the award, which recognises excellence in innovative features of concept and design; achievement in meeting original objectives and continued proven success of the device; and the demonstration of exceptional effort of those involved in bringing Oyster® through development, testing and towards to commercialisation.

“Our Oyster wave energy device is at the forefront of global technical innovation and will harness the sea’s powerful energy in the most efficient and effective way,” said Martin McAdam, CEO of Aquamarine Power.  “The seas around our shores are our most valuable asset and future generations will depend on finding suitable alternatives to oil and gas to produce power which will ultimately run out. The reliability of marine energy makes it an ideal energy source.  Oyster has already proven that and has successfully exported power to the national grid for the first time.”

Oyster® is currently in the first stage of deployment. The installation jack-up barge “Deep Diver” is on site at Billia Croo, Orkney, and the base of the device, known as the Pile Connector Frame (PCF), has been placed on the seabed. Drilling operations are now under way to attach the PCF to the seabed.

Other award winners include:

• The RE-Charge Scheme (Kirklees Council);
• Renewable Energy Tariff Campaign (Friends of Earth and the Tariff coalition.);
• Dulas Ltd. (Company award);
• Marine Current Turbines Ltd. (Developer award);
• Future Heating (Installer award for Birmingham Council Care Homes);
• Co-operative Group (Pioneer award);
• DEIF (Product award); and
• Community Energy Scotland (Region award).

Tags: wave energy