The European Marine Energy Centre, based in Orkney, is the first and only centre of its kind in the world. In 2013 it received £4 million in funding from the Scottish Government. As part of the Eu’s FORESEA programme, six projects were approved with the following three to be tested at EMEC:
- Blackfish
- Bombora
- Scotrenewables
The Scottish Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, reported in Energy Voice today, at the Ocean Energy Europe 2017 Conference & Exhibition in Nantes, said:
‘I warmly welcome the news that Scotland’s flagship European Marine Energy Centre will be used to provide world class testing facilities for three of the six projects from the FORESEA programme. It is further evidence of the recognised excellence of EMEC as a global player in the research and development and testing of ocean energy devices, and of Scotland’s status as a major player in the European renewable energy sector.’
This comes as the latest in long line of reports of Scottish renewables expertise bringing significant income into the Scottish economy. See for example:
Scotland’s expertise in renewable power generation now worth billions
Scottish subsea expertise to the fore again
Evidence of this growth goes back at least a year.
See this from the Aberdeen Evening Express on 12th December 2016:
‘Scotland’s “expertise in renewable energy” is in demand around the world, with businesses working in more than 40 countries, according to new research. Projects include advising the government of Japan, providing cranes to build wind farms in Morocco and South Africa and working with the World Bank in Chile, industry body Scottish Renewables said.’
Talking-up Scotland 
Do you know if this still stands if we get dragged out of the EU?
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I suppose they’ll be done by then but it will surely risk the allocation of new projects.
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Logically, any funding and status would be lost.
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Hi John et al. The concept of these deep ocean tidal generators – which sit out of site, out of mind, making no noise, not moving around much – but with the capacity to generate huge earnings – kept reminding me of something – but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Then it came to me – the same description could cover the various Scottish politicos inhabiting the House of Lords. From the National today:
THE House of Lords was yesterday involved in a fresh expenses row after new research showed that 73 peers – almost one in 10 of the total in the upper house – had failed to speak, sit on committees or submit any written questions, and 17 of them had claimed more than £10,000 in expenses.
Scottish peers topped the list with former Labour Scottish Office minister Lord John Kirkhill, claiming £43,896, and former Paisley Labour MP Baroness Irene Adams, who took home £41,287.
Other peers with Scottish links who are prominent on the list are LibDem peer Lord John Thurso, who claimed £32,235, Lord William Howie of Troon, a former Labour MP (£29,100) and crossbencher Viscount Charles Colville (£25,500), who made 18 spoken contributions in the survey period. Lord Neil Davidson of Glen Clova, a former advocate general for Scotland, claimed £18,518.
The ERS (Electoral reform Society) said the figures rubbished claims that most of the “silent peers” were working hard behind the scenes, and said that nearly two-thirds of them (64 per cent) were inactive in other key areas of work in the Lords.
ERS chief executive, Darren Hughes, said: “The fact that nearly one in 10 peers are failing to contribute to the work of the House is bad enough. But it leaves a nasty taste when a significant chunk of those are claiming more than the average worker takes home in a year.
Personally I’d rather have the tidal generators – but them I’m not a BritNat.
Cheers, ludo
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Yes saw that. Lazy bar stewards!
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Hi John – who the heck is Lord William Howie of Troon (former north brit Lab MP)? – I’ve been interested in Scottish political life since I was a young kid – I honestly cannot recall an MP of that name – at all! They really are the most useless bunch – and their continuing ‘zombie’ life in the Lords puts one in mind of that dog turd we’ve all stepped in once – no matter how hard you scraped the sole of your shoe – you couldn’t quite get it all off – boy could it ever stick! – Cheers, ludo
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None smells worse than property magnate, Lord Foulkes
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