A pox on the billion dollar slow to gain traction Pickens Energy Plan, an Edinburgh-based company unveiled plans for a wave power system off the Orkney Islands.

The “Oyster” which operates in shallow waters and connects to an on-shore base is said to be capable of producing 200-600kw of electricity – the amount needed to supply a few hundred houses.

Wave power plants use the oceans movement to generate electricity, and global companies are already lining up to claim prime spots like California, Oregon, and Scotland. New wave technology benefits from having the maintenance component located onshore, reducing cost of operation.

While still in the early stages of development a UK company has calculated that each Oyster could save about 500 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Read post in Inhabitat.