Whisky Distilleries to Use Power from Tidal Array (UK)

Tidal power, hitherto one of the poor relations of the renewable energy sector, will take a substantial leap forward with a major new undersea development off the west coast of Scotland, announced yesterday.

An array of ten tidal turbines, the largest, and indeed the first of its kind in the world, is to be installed on the seabed in the Sound of Islay, the channel between the islands of Islay and Jura.

It is envisaged that the electricity it will produce – ten megawatts – will be enough to power the whole of Islay, including three of the island’s ten world-famous whisky distilleries. The drinks multinational Diageo, owner of the Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Port Ellen distilleries, has already signed a commercial agreement to take the power the tidal array produces.

Source: Offshore Wind