Motivation

Scotland has some of the best marine resource in the world, however, currently this resource is largely untapped. Many coastal and island communities are looking towards renewable generation to improve their energy independence and boost their economy by attracting tourists and businesses. Primarily  wind and solar are considered,  as they are relatively mature and established technologies. There is currently a lack of information regarding the appraisal of marine resources, and generation and storage methods. Existing procedures can be time consuming and expensive, with no guarantee regarding the final outcome, ultimately, in order to ensure the uptake of these technologies on a more micro scale, information must be clearly and concisely available to those who stand to benefit the most; communities.

Aim

To develop a process to aid coastal communities in the appraisal and selection of appropriate marine based generation and coastal storage technologies.

Objectives

The main objectives of the project, by which the level of completion would be measured are:

• Develop a process to identify potential resources.
• Provide guidance on suitable marine generation and storage devices.
• Demonstrate the established process using case studies​.

Deliverables

The key deliverables are:

• A comprehensive database of marine based generation technology and energy storage methods.
• An interactive tool capable of appraising energy resources and assess extraction device suitability.