Four wave energy projects have been awarded £2 million in funding to support further design, modelling and testing of technologies.

Wave Energy Scotland (WES), a subsidiary of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), selected the projects as the most promising of eight applications from contractors in stage one of its Power Take Off (PTO) programme.

The successful schemes are; Wave Energy Transmission Module (£496,200), Power Electronic Controlled Magnet Gear (£498,420), GATOR Stage 2 - a compliant seal free hydraulic PTO (£495,000) and Inflatable Dielectric Elastomer Generator – PTO (£498,000).

The PTO programme focuses on solutions to convert the movement of Wave Energy Converters (WECs) to electricity. Each winning project will now progress to stage two of the programme, which they are expected to complete in the next year.

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Business Minister Paul Wheelhouse said: "The Scottish Government's sustained funding has allowed Wave Energy Scotland to support companies to develop genuinely novel components for wave energy devices. Wave energy has great potential to contribute to Scotland's energy supply and that of the UK and EU. If we are able to harness this important energy resource, there are great opportunities to generate exports to the rest of the world.

"Wave Energy Scotland facilitates collaborative working between innovative industries here in Scotland and elsewhere to improve the performance and efficiency of wave energy systems.

"I congratulate the technology developers that have reached this second stage and look forward to seeing the fruits of their collaboration."

Tim Hurst, WES managing director, added: "Our competitive technology development process aims to bring forward development that will promote greater confidence in the technical performance of wave energy systems. This, of course, calls for very rigorous assessment and some difficult decisions about investment. Equally it shows the level of innovation and appetite among companies to keep Scotland at the forefront of wave energy development."

(LM/MH)