Oyster captures European environment award

They were victorious over 156 other entrants from across the 24 European Member States.

M&S won the Management Award which goes to companies with outstanding strategic vision and management systems. Aquamarine Power won the Product Award, which goes to a firm that has developed a new product or related service that makes an outstanding contribution to sustainable development, for their innovative Oyster wave power technology which captures energy in nearshore waves and converts it into clean sustainable electricity.

The awards were one of the highlights of Green Week, the European Commission’s annual conference on environment policy.

Oyster is a buoyant, hinged flap which is attached to the seabed. The hinged flap, which is almost entirely underwater, pitches backwards and forwards in nearshore waves. The movement of the flap drives two hydraulic pistons which push high pressure water onshore via a subsea pipeline to drive a conventional hydro-electric turbine. By locating Oyster near the shore, the device naturally avoids the massive storm forces which other devices are exposed to in the open ocean. Oyster’s innovative design means it ducks under the largest waves giving it enhanced survivability.

The first full scale 315kW Oyster was installed and grid connected in November 2009 in Orkney, Scotland.