Largest tidal power device unveiled

A device thought to be the largest tidal turbine of its type to be built in the world has been described by its developer as "simple and robust". Atlantis Resources unveiled its AK1000 at Invergordon ahead of it being shipped to a European Marine Energy Centre test site off Eday, Orkney. Chief executive Tim Cornelius said it was designed to survive in a harsh marine environment. The device stands 22.5m (73ft) tall and weighs 1,300 tonnes. It has two sets of blades on a single unit to harness ebb and flood tides and could generate one megawatt of power - enough electricity for about 1,000 homes. Atlantis said it was the largest bladed turbine of its type because of its rotor diameter of 18m (59ft).Mr Cornelius told BBC Scotland that the focus of the marine industry at the moment was making the Pentland Firth a huge success in terms of generating electricity from renewable energy devices. The Crown Estate has selected developers to start the process. Mr Cornelius said: "It is one of the harshest environments on the planet. "In order to get a robust turbine we have had to make what we call ultimately the dumbest, simple but most ...