Innovation - the key driver to a successful marine energy industry

22nd September 2014

Innovation will be at the centre of this week's Marine Energy Conference in Inverness. With the recent green light for MeyGen - the world’s first tidal stream project in the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth - marine energy is firmly at the heart of the expansion of the renewable energy sector in the Highlands and Islands.

The Marine Conference is part of the programme created by the Scottish Cities Alliance - a partnership between Scotland’s seven cities and the Scottish Government. The aim of the project is to create a sustained legacy for business as a result of the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and year of Homecoming 2014.

Working in partnership with Scottish Renewables, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) sees the conference as an important opportunity to share knowledge and expertise across the marine energy sector.

HIE’s Director of Energy and Low Carbon, Calum Davidson, said: "We are delighted to have the conference back here in Inverness for the fifth year, as part of the Scottish Cities Alliance programme. The Highland capital is once more playing host to experts in marine energy at an exciting time for the sector.

“2014 sees a major forward step with the confirmation of the MeyGen tidal project being of huge significance. This is a great example of collaborative working to support the development of marine energy industries and I’m delighted that HIE played a key role.

“I’m looking forward to having discussions with colleagues about the next steps for MeyGen and future projects for the sector. It is also a timely opportunity to examine the challenges the marine energy sector is now facing, along with its growing Highlands and Islands supply chain. The sector cannot and does not stand still. Continuing to push boundaries to develop the right technology is at the heart of what sustainable success will look like for marine energy projects."

The conference gets under way on Tuesday (23 September 2014) and takes place over two days at Eden Court Theatre. Sessions include support for new starts into the marine sector, updates on current projects and technology plus discussions to address issues relating to the national electricity grid.