Photo via flickr

Scotland’s weather is notorious for being windy, with a chill and misty. Scotland’s weather is often described as changeable. The weather may be the key for their independence from the oil barons.

Beneath Scotland’s ocean lies fierce stormy waves, crashing into the jagged coast with a forceful power, perhaps a hindrance in the past, may be their salvation in the future. Scotland’s rip tides are severe and violet, thus creating the perfect atmosphere for gathering tidal energy.

Some of the strongest tidal currents in the world will help the country become less dependant on foreign oil, leading to a cleaner and safer environment. These strong currents are predictable offering an excellent choice for alternative energy. The predictability of the energy produced by these strong rip tides could produce electricity both, on the incoming and outgoing tides.

Scotland is ready to benefit from the currents by producing energy from the waves and tidal energy. The plans will make them the first country on the planet to produce wave and tidal energy on a large enough scale to make big business sense.

　Photo via flickr

One of the world’s largest wave stations will be constructed off the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles, about 750,000 Scottish homes expect to be powered by ocean technology by 2020, as the Scottish Government announced that 10 wave and tide power schemes capable of generating up to 1.2GW in total. With this project, Scotland plans to produce the same amount of clean energy as a small nuclear power station, and hopes to start on a path to becoming the “Saudi Arabia of marine energy.”

The Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit is currently processing 30 renewable project applications – 23 wind farms and seven hydro projects, with more applications expected. The Scottish Government has determined 24 energy applications, including approval for 18 renewable and one non-renewable project since May 2007 – more determinations than over the whole of the previous four years, in which 19 projects were determined. New applications are being dealt with in line with the Scottish Government’s new target to come to a decision within nine months, where there is no public inquiry.

By adapting wind technology, solar power, and geothermal power, to augmenting the tidal power, Scotland renewable energy resources will account for over 50% of the electricity demand by 2020. In less than 10 years Scotland interdependency from foreign oil will propel them into a per captia leader in the fight to save our environment by using renewable clean energy.

Those powerful ocean currents much like a big rivers current that produces hydroelectric power, will now be harnessed to give Scotland the gift of clean power.

Scotland’s weather often mistreated by countryman and sightseer, now stands to be upgraded to a respectful “sunny” admiration due to the increasing clean energy output that the country will be capable of producing.