Professor Trevor Whittaker from Queens School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering was the principle investigator of the Oyster, along with Dr Matt Folley. Aquamarine Power Ltd was formed to develop the technology for the Oyster and a joint agreement exists whereby Queens will undertake all the hydrodynamic testing for Aquamarine.

Installed at the European Marine Energy Centre’s (EMEC) Billia Croo sire near Stromness, Orkney, the Oyster feeds into the national Grid to power homes in Orkney and beyond. A farm of 20 Oysters could provide enough energy to power 9,000 three bedroom family homes.

Professor Whittaker said: “Devices such as these have the power to revolutionise the world’s energy industry and help combat climate change. And we aren’t stopping with Oyster. We are continuing to work with our partners in Aquamarine Power and the EMEC to develop the next generation of Oyster, by providing testing opportunities at Queens’s large wave tanks facility in Portaferry which is part-funded through the University’s Institute for a Sustainable World.”