Mar 29 - Daily Post; Liverpool

A green energy company claims its dream of using underwater "windmills" to harness the power of waves off the North Wales coast could be a reality within three years.

But Marine Current Turbines yesterday warned MPs its radical blueprint will only get off the ground if planning inspectors can be persuaded to overcome their reluctance.

MCT engineers have designed turbines similar to onshore wind turbines but fixed to the sea bed and driven by flowing water in areas of strong currents and tides.

But the firm's commercial director Joe Verdi said planning officers were sceptical because the technology has never been used before.

MCT won a pounds 52,000 grant from the Welsh European Funding Office to identify possible locations for the turbines along the Welsh coast.

Mr Verdi told MPs on the Welsh Affairs Select Committee two areas off the Anglesey coast - the Skerries and the South Stack - would be ideal sites for the first scheme.

The company plans to initially build between 10 and 30 underwater turbines. It believes a 10-turbine underwater site would power 8,000 homes and cost around pounds 15m.

It has calculated that the Anglesey coastline has the potential to eventually accommodate 180 turbines able to power 144,000 homes.

Such a scheme would generate 180 megawatts of power and help energise the Anglesey Aluminium plant.

Jobs are under threat at Anglesey Aluminium when the Wylfa nuclear power station closes in 2010.