Gibraltar becomes a ‘wave power pioneer’

Gibraltar’s wave power plant was officially opened yesterday, marking a pioneering step for renewable energy.

The plant is located at the Ammunition Jetty on the Eastside and was installed by Eco Wave Power Ltd.

It was described yesterday as Europe’s first wave energy plant connected to the electricity grid.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on site yesterday and Chief Minister Fabian Picardo pressed the button that lowered the plant’s eight flotation devices into the sea.

“In 2011 when we were first elected into Government John [Minister of Environment, Dr John Cortes] and I were dedicated to the principal of bringing renewable energy to Gibraltar………..and I am pleased we are doing that here today,” he said.

A lunch was held before the ribbon cutting where the Minister for Environment, Dr John Cortes and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientist of the Department of the Environment and Climate Change, Dr Liesl Torres, gave a speech on the importance of this renewable energy.

Dr Cortes said he was very proud of how far Gibraltar has come regarding renewable energy and that he was not just excited for this aspect but for the future of renewables on the Rock also. He called the day a “happy and emotional” one for him personally.

“There was not even talk of renewable energy in Gibraltar before I became the Minister for Environment and it has probably taken a bit longer than I would have liked but you need to do a lot of background and so on”.

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