Energy expansion

SgurrEnergy has opened an office in Scrabster Harbour, Scotland, as part of an expansion drive that will create several skilled jobs in the area over the next 18 months.

The Glasgow-based renewable-energy consultancy said that the branch will focus on providing full project lifecycle services for wind, biomass, wave and tidal energy systems.

Heading up the office, energy engineer Richard Hunt said: ‘SgurrEnergy expects to see an increasing demand for our expertise to service the rapidly expanding renewable sector in the Highlands and Islands in the coming months. It therefore made perfect sense to expand and create a permanent base in the north of Scotland.

‘The new Highlands office has plans for expansion and is currently seeking both mechanical and electrical engineers, preferably with experience in the energy sector. SgurrEnergy’s decision to open its Scrabster office was based on the location benefiting from close proximity to a number of wind, wave and tidal developments and excellent transport links to Orkney, Inverness and further afield.’

Hunt added: ‘We have already capitalised on our location by winning work in the marine and wind sectors, most notably survey work, resource measurement and site selection for large and established utilities and wave and tidal generators. SgurrEnergy has identified a number of significant renewable-energy opportunities in the Scottish Highlands.’

SgurrEnergy was recently awarded a contract to assess the economic viability of constructing offshore wind farms along a stretch of Chinese coastline from Fujian to Shandong. The project is due for completion in August 2009.