The Atlantis Resources Corporation has signed up for a commercial scale deployment of its AK-1000™ tidal turbine at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney. Deployment of the AK-1000 turbine is scheduled for summer 2010 and Atlantis has also committed to build a comprehensive local supply chain, with manufacturing, installation, operations and maintenance being conducted in the UK.  The company will award three major contracts associated with the deployment, supporting over 100 UK jobs.

Mike Smith, Chief Operating Officer of Atlantis, said: "AK-1000 will be the most efficient turbine with the largest rotor diameter ever to be deployed.  Its eighteen metre sweep is the height of a typical five storey building.  But we've balanced power and efficiency with long-term reliability, an essential ingredient for a harsh environment turbine.

"This announcement reiterates our commitment to the UK marine power market. By trialling at EMEC, we will ensure that the AK-1000 is ideally suited for use in UK waters and is visible to the UK supply chain.  The deployment will also provide a huge boost to the local economy, as we begin a phased roll-out here."

Neil Kermode, Managing Director of EMEC, said: "We are very pleased to welcome Atlantis to EMEC, further demonstrating our ability to draw in the biggest developers in the industry. EMEC is now attracting developers with commercial scale turbines to test, entering a new phase for the company and delivering on our mandate to accelerate marine energy deployment.

The AK-1000 will be Atlantis' second grid-connected turbine.  Its Nereus turbine installation in San Remo, Australia, first deployed in 2006, continues to generate power for the grid today.