Neil Kermode, managing director of EMEC, commented on Pelamis’ last week’s announcement: “EMEC is saddened to hear that its oldest customer has gone into administration.
“We have known many of the Pelamis team for years and all of us at EMEC are dismayed by this announcement. As a test site we have seen the clever, heroic, innovative work they have done to bring an idea to reality over the last decade.
“As a Scottish world leader Pelamis have been one of the icons of the marine renewables industry, so we are absolutely gutted at this setback.
“It is all the more galling when we know that marine energy has the potential to be a major supplier of power to the UK. But just like anybody who has been to sea, we know how hard it is out there, and trying to build a new power source was never going to be easy.
“But, all the developers we have on our test sites have been showing year on year how drive, ingenuity, skill and bloody minded determination can overcome seemingly insurmountable problems; and overcome them safely.
“Today’s announcement is undoubtedly a big setback in the mission to learn how to harvest energy from the sea, but the prize is still there. The waves will keep pounding into the Orkney coastline and the world is still using precious and irreplaceable fossil fuels at an increasing rate. We know marine energy will have its day. It just looks a bit harder tonight.”