Developing equipment that can withstand the punishing environment off the Scottish coast and reducing the cost of generation so that marine power can better compete with more established sources of energy have been described as the biggest challenges for marine energy.
A report by Dow Jones Newswires has highlighted the same. Although some experts say Scotland eventually could rely on marine power for 40 percent or more of its electricity needs, the technology is still in its infancy.
Neil Kermode, MD, European Marine Energy Centre, sees a parallel with the early days of the aviation industry, saying that while wave and tidal equipment is well along in terms of development, lengthy testing is required before it can be deployed on a commercial scale.
To its credit, the Scottish Government has already come up with an offering to award one of the biggest international innovation prizes in history through its plans for the Saltire Prize - a £10 million challenge prize for advances in wave and tidal energy. A sum of £10 million will be awarded to the team that can demonstrate in Scottish waters a commercially viable wave or tidal energy technology that achieves a minimum electrical output of 100GWh over a continuous two-year period using only the power of the sea.
Read more: EMEC, Scotland, commercial
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