In the report, the Scottish Government is called on to review financial support available under the renewables obligation, to examine use of the Fossil Fuel Levy surplus to help renewables development, and introduction of a flexible ‘use-or-lose’ annual budget allocation for developers under the Wave and Tidal Energy Support (Wates) scheme.
The need for further progress in infrastructure development is also highlighted in the report, especially with a call to Scottish Hydro-electric Transmission to continue with design and move to procurement for links between Dounreay and Orkney Islands and the Northeast Caithness coast, respectively
The report adds that approximately 12,500 jobs could be created by 2020, and that the marine energy investment would add £2.5B (US$4B) to the Scottish economy.
Scotland has approximately a quarter of Europe’s tidal stream energy and 10% of the wave resource, according to the report.
The report on what is needed to further develop wave and tidal energy in the country was produced by the Marine Energy Group, part of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (Freds), set up by the Scottish Government. It is available on the Scottish Government website, at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/281865/0085187.pdf
