With a 'fair wind', next weekend will see a world beating initiative underway in Strangford Lough with the installation of the earth's first ever turbine capable of generating commercial amounts of electricity from tidal energy.

Already given a welcome by Ards Councillor Simon Hamilton, who said the installation is timely - noting that previous dates set for the commencement of the pioneering SeaGen tidal energy scheme were not met - because of logistical problems, he said: "Of all the possible places on the planet for such a scheme as SeaGen to be tried out, it is wonderful to think that the first tidal energy system capable of creating commercial amounts of electricity will be tested so close to home."

He is looking forward to Bristol-based Marine Current Turbines (MCT) completing the installation on Easter Monday, as always, subject to favourable weather and further engineering work.

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SeaGen is the biggest turbine of its kind in the world, with the capacity to produce 1.2MW of electricity - four times more than any other tidal turbine - and will generate clean and sustainable electricity for around 1,000 homes.

According to the company, the giant turbine is environmentally friendly - it makes no noise, is almost completely below the surface of the water, never runs out and has zero emissions.

MCT has been given permission to install and operate SeaGen in the mouth of Strangford Lough - one of the fastest tidal flows in the world - for five years.

The company said it believes it will be realistic to achieve up to 500MW of tidal capacity by 2015, based on the SeaGen technology.

The turbine was originally set to be installed last August but the company had to cancel, because the huge crane barge chartered to install the device was delayed on another job and then damaged in an accident in port.

MCT said a replacement barge sailed to Belfast's Harland and Wolff shipyard - where SeaGen has been waiting since last summer- in March, and will now complete the job with the turbine due to be installed on Easter Monday.

This comes after an operation of around 14 days, during which the turbine - which cost £12m to develop and build - is fully fixed to the seabed.

Martin Wright, Managing Director of MCT, said: "There is global interest in SeaGen as it will be the first and largest commercial tidal stream device to be installed anywhere in the world.

"Looking ahead, MCT intends to manufacture and deploy a series of SeaGen devices in projects off Anglesey and on the Canadian seaboard within the next few years."

See: Strangford Lough Turbine Plan Powers Ahead

(BMcC)