Midlothian Innovation Centre Hosts Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism

Councillor Russell Imrie, Midlothian Council and Murdo Mackenzie jointly hosted a visit to MIC of Mr Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism on Monday the 8th of March 2010. Also present from Midlothian Council were Chief Executive Kenneth Lawrie and John Beveridge, as well as Linda McPherson, Scottish Enterprise Regional Director, East.

The Minister was given presentations by two of MIC's renewable energy companies, AlbaTERN and Reactor Technologies. AlbaTERN displayed their novel wave device which is currently in trials in the North of Scotland. Their fully modular self regulating design allows for maximum energy capture from the passing waves while allowing for protection from extremes of weather that are inevitable for such devices. AlbaTERN's innovative management of device buoyancy, wave motion and an abundance of sea water will allow a pressure head of water to be generated within the system. This pressure will be used to generate electricity which can then be fed ashore through umbilical cables as is standard within the industry. Reactor Technologies' presented their planned development and manufacture of fast thermal biomass reactors, adopting innovative pyrolysis technology, producing thermal energy and activated carbon/biochar as a bi-product.



In addition to meeting the above companies Mr Mather was also given an overview of New Park's plans to develop 100MW of Biomass CHP plants at various sites throughout Scotland. The Minister commended New Park for their sustainable approach creating much needed direct and supply chain employment in rural parts of the country.