9 September 2005News ScotsmanFrank Urquhart
New measures to encourage electricity suppliers to make use of wave and tidal power have been unveiled by the Scottish Executive.
Nicol Stephen, the enterprise minister, said renewable wave and tidal energy could provide up to 10 per cent of Scotland's electricity production - equivalent to the output of one of Scotland's largest fossil fuel power stations.
Mr Stephen said the changes he was making would "unlock Scotland's marine powerhouse" and about 7,000 jobs could be created by such projects.
The announcement was made at the official renaming ceremony of the Aberdeen Offshore Technology Park, which is to become the Aberdeen Science and Energy Park to reflect the city's determination to make Aberdeen Europe's renewable energy capital.
Under the initiative, extra incentives are to be offered to electricity companies to develop wind and wave power projects through changes in the Executive's renewables obligations legislation.
Mr Stephen said his goal was to place Scotland at the global forefront of the development of marine energy by speeding up the commercial development of wind and wave power projects.
He said: "The changes I am announcing today will unlock Scotland's marine powerhouse. Tens of millions of pounds of support will be available - with the potential for hundreds of millions to be invested in new wind and wave projects around Scotland's shores. Our aim is to generate up to 10 per cent of Scotland's electricity from the sea around us."
Mr Stephen added: "We have already done much to support the sector, particularly at the world-class testing centre on Orkney. Yet to date, in contrast to wind power, we have seen no significant commercial projects for wave or tidal power in Scotland. That has to change.
"To deliver, we need to do more. The costs of installing and producing energy from marine devices remains high.
"Development on a large scale will drive down costs and make it possible for these devices to power the engine of a sustainable Scotland."
He added: "The opportunity for Scottish business is truly worldwide. Already we have seen Scottish technology being used for a marine power project in Portugal. If we can establish a lead in marine energy, the global potential for our companies is massive."
The government initiative was welcomed by environmentalists. Duncan McLaren, the chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "The UK's coastline has huge potential for wave and tidal power, which could help reduce our reliance on polluting fossil fuel and hazardous nuclear plants.
"However, until all the necessary support is in place to make sure wave and tidal power can be fully exploited we must ensure we maintain the progress in developing sensitively sited onshore wind-power schemes."
Toby Ackroyd, the policy co-ordinator of the Wilderness Foundation, said: "This is a major step towards delivering effective progress against climate change.
"Hopefully it will herald the turning of the tide in renewable energy strategy."
