Huge tidal turbine arrives in Orkney ahead of testing

Tests on the AK1000 will be run at a site off Eday

A device thought to be the largest tidal turbine of its type to be built in the world has arrived in Orkney for testing.

Atlantis Resources unveiled its AK1000 at Invergordon last week ahead of it being shipped to Kirkwall.

Trials on the device will be run at a European Marine Energy Centre test site off Eday.

The device stands 22.5m (73ft) tall, weighs 1,300 tonnes and has two sets of blades on a single unit.

It has been designed to harness ebb and flood tides and could generate one megawatt of power - enough electricity for about 1,000 homes.

Atlantis said it was the largest bladed turbine of its type because of its rotor diameter of 18m (59ft).

The AK1000's two sets of blades have also been designed to move slowly underwater and Atlantis said they would not pose a threat to sea life.