The Government of Scotland's initiative Wave Energy Scotland has announced the eight successful candidates that will be sharing a grant worth of £2.5 million to progress their technologies and move them to commercialization. Among the projects that will receive £300,000 each to improve efficiency levels and performances are the anaconda-like wave tube, an automatic inflatable conversion machine, and a tube-like wave train.
WES is Scotland's unique body that gathers the best academic minds and engineering prowess to collaborate in a research and development program for wave technology acceleration. Scotland Energy Minister Fergus Ewing acknowledges that the government is pleased that WES continues to attract interest across Europe. These projects will bring European countries closer to develop a fruitful industry in wave energy with Scotland in control.
"This is a hugely significant day for Wave Energy Scotland (WES). WES is running the biggest technology programme the wave sector has ever seen," Fergus Ewing said. "Since the launch last year, there has been global interest in what the new organisation was planning to do. Therefore I am delighted to see the first contracts being awarded to technology developers."
The eight successful candidates were chosen to complete Stage One of the funding project. WES received 37 aspirants from companies and associations located all over the European continent. The projects will have their development costs covered by the grants.
Wave Energy Scotland Director Tim Hurst deep-rooted that WES received international attention for wave power converters with 169 firms involved in funding applications. The quality of presentations from the European firms reflects their knowledge and expertise in the development of wave power technology.
The partnerships with WES, Scotland Government, and the successful candidates will represent an opportunity to work with an array of academics toward the development of wave energy converters. Successful concepts will be chosen upon improvements to the previous concept and applied new technology in combination. Also addressed in the project evaluation are performance, toughness, dependability and affordability. WES will also support and monitor each of the successful candidates' development process.
