A doughnut and an oyster are among five marine energy projects sharing £13 million to harness the power of the sea.

The grants from the WATERS fund (Wave and Tidal Energy: Research, Development and Demonstration Support) will help develop emerging energy technologies and improve the operation of marine renewables devices.

WATERS is a collaboration between the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise with support from European Regional Development Funds.

The grants are:

* RWE npower renewables - to support construction of one of the world's largest wave stations, the ten turbine, 4 Megawatt Siadar project off the Western Isles - £6 million;

* Aquamarine Power - to support demonstration of Aquamarine's Oyster 3 project at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney - £3.15 million;

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* OpenHydro - to support a power conversion / control system to deliver a cost effective method of connecting marine energy devices in tidal arrays - £1.85 million;

* AWS Ocean Energy - to support tests in Loch Ness and the Cromarty Firth of AWS's wave energy converter, sections of which would join together to form the device's 'doughnut' shape - £1.39 million;

* Ocean Flow Energy - to build and deploy the 'Evopod', a 35 kilowatt floating grid connected tidal energy turbine at Sanda Sound in South Kintyre - £560,000.

Speaking ahead of a visit to AWS Ocean Energy's 'doughnut' device on Loch Ness today, Energy Minister Jim Mather said: "This funding is another step on the road to a low carbon Scotland that maximises its resources for a sustainable future. Initial costs for marine energy are high and capital is needed - these grants will help attract further private investment. Our support will ensure a continuous stream of ideas and technologies can be tested, developed and refined at our world class testing centre on Orkney and elsewhere around Scotland.

"With the incentives we have put in place for commercial marine energy generation, our 10 million pound Saltire Prize - Scotland's energy challenge to the world - and our innovative low carbon investment project, Scotland is one of the most attractive markets for investment in wave and tidal power anywhere.

"Working with our enterprise agencies and other partners to develop our full potential, we will make Scotland a global leader in marine energy."

(GK)