Responding to today’s announcement from Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing, that an £18m Marine Renewables Commercialisation Fund (MRCF), will be used to provide support for the wave sector, Lindsay Leask, Senior Policy Manager for Scottish Renewables, said:
“We warmly welcome the Scottish Government’s recognition that funding, tailored specifically to wave energy projects in Scotland, is just what the industry needs right now. Scottish Renewables and the wider industry have been calling for exactly this kind of funding as we believe it will play a crucial role in helping developers reach their next commercial stage.
“Companies such as Aquamarine and Pelamis have been demonstrating their devices successfully off the Scottish coast, but the financial hurdle of moving to larger scale, commercial projects remains a real challenge. The £18m fund could open up a number of possibilities which would help the wave industry achieve its huge potential in terms of generating clean, green electricity and creating jobs throughout Scotland’s remote island communities.”
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Press release, May 22, 2013; Image: Scottish Renewables