Positive energy

24 March 2011

As recently blogged here, Scottish innovation and engineering are currently being celebrated at the Science Museum, London, with an exhibition about James Watt.

So it’s timely that, on the same day the exhibition launched, Professor Stephen Salter MBE, a world-leading pioneer of wave power technologies, was awarded the inaugural Saltire Prize Medal. Timely also, given the fragility and inherent danger associated with other traditional sources of energy under scrutiny in these times.

Professor Salter, who received the award in recognition of his key role in the development of marine energy – he led the University of Edinburgh team that designed and developed ‘Salter’s Duck’ wave energy converter in the 1970s, said “It was a happy time for us and, looking back, I am very proud of what we achieved. Many of our ideas are now being applied to other renewable energy sources. Our only mistake was doing it too early – but that is better than too late.”

Never a truer word spoken – Professor Salter is today a specialist advisor to Aquamarine Power, for whom we’ve just delivered a new brand and website.

Also, the BBC is currently featuring an audio slideshow about James Watt.