Energy consultancy Xodus Group has been awarded the contract to deliver an important environmental study for a major tidal project in the Pentland Firth.

Xodus will co-ordinate the environmental impact assessment for MeyGen Ltd, a standalone development company backed by shareholders, investment bank Morgan Stanley, independent power generator International Power plc and technology provider, Atlantis Resources Corporation.

The MeyGen project will consist of up to 400, 1MW turbines generating enough energy to power 400,000 homes. They will be located in roughly 3.5km2 of the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth off the north coast of Scotland between Caithness on the Scottish mainland and the Island of Stroma.

The electricity generated from the project will be exported onshore for transmission to the National Grid. An 'agreement for lease' for the site has been awarded by The Crown Estate which, if necessary consents are achieved, will convert into a 25 year operational lease.

Xodus and MeyGen will spend eight months consulting with the public and carrying out the study which will accompany the Marine License application for the project. Xodus has grown its Orkney team to 18 people and is working on a number of local projects to help make wave and tidal power a reality.

Liz Foubister, Xodus Group's marine renewables environmental specialist based in the Orkney office said, 'The MeyGen project is one of the most significant tidal initiatives in the world, so it is a great privilege to be involved. One of the two tidal technologies to be deployed as part of the Inner Sound Project is the Atlantis tidal turbine, currently being tested at EMEC, which we previously worked on securing the consents to enable deployment.'

Xodus now has thirty renewable related clients on its books and is focused on further developing its low carbon credentials over the coming months. The company is highly experienced in permit applications and environmental impact assessments. Offering a fully integrated service, Xodus also brings added value capabilities in subsea, installation, structural design, technical risk and safety, electricity and grid technologies to offer bespoke solutions for renewable projects.

Dan Pearson, CEO of MeyGen said, 'This contract is key to the successful development of the MeyGen project and we are delighted to have awarded it to Xodus, a local company who have built up an excellent reputation in the sector. We look forward to working with Xodus and community stakeholders in order to assess any impact this project may have on the environment, locally and regionally.'

Xodus works closely with wave and tidal technology developers using the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and has been involved in helping to secure a number of consents for organisations including Aquamarine Power, Scottish Power Renewables and Atlantis Resources.

Stephen Swindell, Chief Operating Officer at Xodus Group said: 'Pentland Firth and Orkney are centre stage in the race to harness power from our seas and we are proud to be playing a role in the future of this important industry. We have invested in increasing our Orkney team to reflect the importance we place on this burgeoning industry.'

Adam Payne recently took up the post as Orkney Environmental Impact Assessment Team Lead at Xodus. He said: 'It's exciting to be involved in such a significant project that has the potential for delivering energy to many homes.'

Xodus Group is a multi-discipline energy consultancy headquartered in Aberdeen with offices in London, Edinburgh, Orkney and Houston and employs more than three hundred people. With six divisions, Xodus offers fully integrated energy services.

Tags: Xodus Group