Northern Ireland has moved a step closer to having the world's first commercial scale tidal energy system.

Energy Minister Nigel Dodds has welcomed the arrival of the 80 metre long crane barge, 'RAMBIZ', from Norway, into Belfast's Harland & Wolff shipyard.

With a lifting capacity of 3,000 tonnes, the RAMBIZ will collect SeaGen, the 1.2MW tidal generation system, designed by Bristol firm Marine Current Turbines (MCT), and transport it for installation in Strangford Lough.

Minister Dodds said: "SeaGen is the world’s largest tidal current system and is the first to be connected to a local electricity grid. Once installed, it is expected to generate sufficient, clean renewable electricity for some 1,000 homes here, by using the tides in Strangford Lough.

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"Northern Ireland has considerable natural resources, and to date wind farms have been our primary source of renewable energy. It is, however, important to optimise the use of all renewable technologies and the installation of the SeaGen project in Strangford Lough demonstrates the potential for Northern Ireland."

Harland & Wolff shipyard assembled the components of the SeaGen tidal system which MCT plans to install in Strangford Lough within the next two-three weeks, subject to weather conditions and final engineering work. It is planned that the system will come into commercial operation by early summer.

This will follow a 12 week commissioning period, during which a team of environmental scientists from Royal Haskoning, Queen's University Belfast and St Andrew’s Sea Mammal Research Unit will closely monitor SeaGen’s operation and its interaction with marine life in Strangford Lough.

(JM)