Blog: Wave and tidal energy worth £217m to Scots economy – so far

Scottish Renewables have launched their annual Marine Milestones report, which shows that Scotland’s flourishing wave and tidal energy sector has invested more than £217m in the country to date, with £31.8m spent in the last 12 months alone. Marine energy has been forecast to be worth £50 billion by 2050.

Key updates in the Marine Milestones report include:

• Aquamarine Power’s Oyster 800 device has now clocked up three full winters at sea.
• Pelamis’ two P2 machines have cumulatively delivered wave power to the grid for 10,000 hours – that’s 416 days, or 59 full weeks.
• The MeyGen project – the world’s first commercial scale tidal array – became the first large-scale tidal project of its type in the world to successfully reach a funding agreement, and achieved onshore and offshore planning consent in 2014.

Seventeen organisations working in marine energy were surveyed for the Marine Milestones report. While providing updates on the progress of cutting-edge machines and projects, the firms were asked to provide investment statistics for compilation.

Another key stat that the study revealed is that almost two-thirds (62%) of the growing industry’s supply chain is Scottish.

Roving Eye, an Orkney-based operator of ROVs (remotely-operated underwater vehicles) and survey boats, state that around 65% of its 2014 revenue came from work in the wave and tidal sectors.

Owner Keith Bichan said:

“Marine energy is a thrilling sector. We’re always doing something new, and something probably no-one has ever had to do before, thinking outside the box and working on complex solutions with some of the most innovative engineers in Europe.

“We are involved throughout the life-cycle of wave and tidal energy devices, from surveying the seabed as part of the consenting process to monitoring the deployment of devices and maintenance and, finally, surveying cables annually for the full life of the projects.

“Wave and tidal have changed the vibe in Orkney – they have made people believe we can make a future for the islands as oil and gas reserves deplete, and the thought that the eyes of the world are on what we are doing makes it all the more exciting.”

Lindsay Leask, Senior Policy Manager for offshore renewables at Scottish Renewables, said:

“Wave and tidal energy is still very much the renewables new kid on the block, but the opportunities it presents are enormous, particularly for Scotland.

“These investment figures, revealed for the first time by our Marine Milestones report, show the significant economic benefits this young sector is bringing. Crucially, those benefits are staying local, benefitting communities and families who are looking to renewables for a sustainable future, both economically and environmentally.

In Orkney, there are already around 300 people currently working in the marine renewables sector, with around 40 different companies in the local supply chain. It is estimated that wave and tidal energy developers spend around £1 million per device in the local economy, and with more marine energy technologies being tested in Orkney than any other single site in the world, the county has seen significant public investment in pier infrastructure to service the budding sector.

“Scotland already leads the world in the development of these audacious, innovative machines, and maintaining that position at the front of the global pack is something we believe is worthy of continued government support.”

Lindsay Leask, Scottish Renewables

The Marine Milestones report is available to download here: Scottish Renewables’ Marine Milestones Report 2013/2014

A collection of reports on marine renewables is available here: Industry Reports