Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund

A £10 million fund will target support to achieving commercial deployment of tidal energy generation in Scottish waters through driving innovation and reduction in the cost of electricity generated.

This concentrated support for tidal energy sits alongside the parallel £30 million committed to date by the Scottish Government to Wave Energy Scotland (WES), and a further £10 million proposed for WES in 2019/20.

Scotland’s Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said:

“Scotland continues to lead the world in developing and supporting marine energy technology, with the European Marine Energy Centre on Orkney recognised as a global centre of excellence. We believe that tidal energy can not only play an important role in our own future energy system, but it has substantial export potential.

“The industry has taken momentous steps forward in recent years, and we are proud to have supported that, but the path to commercialisation is taking longer, and proving more difficult, than initially expected. The investment climate has been harmed by the UK Government’s decision in 2016 to remove a ring-fenced subsidy for marine energy and by the parallel uncertainties caused by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

“The Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund therefore provides a timely and appropriate approach for the Scottish Government to support the current needs of the sector and to help ensure Scotland’s huge marine energy potential is realised, while my officials and I work with the sector on wider support for innovation and deployment of this exciting technology.”

Background

Apply for the Saltire Tidal Energy Challenge Fund.

Applications to the fund will close on 6 December 2019.

Successful projects must:

• relate to the capital costs of developing a material/technical innovation aimed at reducing the cost of tidal energy
• demonstrate the requirement for, and added value of, Scottish Government support
• be deployed in Scottish waters no later than March 2020
• demonstrate potential to have a positive social and economic impact on Scotland including collaboration across the Scottish supply chain

The Scottish Government established the Wave Energy Scotland (WES) programme in 2014 to support innovation and avoid duplication in addressing the technical challenges of reliability, survivability, performance and affordability.