Marine renewables fund will help Orkney projects

An £18 million fund to develop Scotland’s first commercial wave and tidal power arrays has been launched.

The money forms part of £35 million the Scottish Government and its enterprise agencies will provide in direct support to the marine and tidal industry over the next three years.

This is the Scottish Government’s biggest commitment to date for the wave and tidal sector, and will be used to improve capability and infrastructure, as well as helping to fund technology solutions and the roll-out of marine arrays.

The fund, which was announced last week by First Minister Alex Salmond, will help the marine renewables industry make the next step towards commercial maturity, and help planned developments in the Pentland Firth and Orkney waters, and other waters around Scotland.