The project in Kyle Rhea, a strait between the Isle of Skye and the Scottish mainland, would have a maximum capacity of 8MW and generate electricity for up to 8,000 homes in the Highlands & Islands, says the company. Start-up of the £40m development, which MCT hopes to finance through a combination of private funding and UK government support, is scheduled for 2014.
MCT chief executive Martin Wright hailed the decision by the Crown Estate, which manages the UK's waters, as an important step forward for tidal power, but claims more needs to be done to provide incentives for the technology and other marine renewables.
“Greater
