Tidal energy firm making waves with £100k boost

Renewable energy developer Current2current has secured grant funding of £100,000 to ramp up its research and development work.

The Scottish Enterprise grant is a contribution towards a £260,000 R&D feasibility project the Aberdeenshire firm is undertaking over the next six months.

The group has also received match funding from a private investor which, together with the latest grant, has enabled further development of its tidal energy converter.

Generating electricity from ocean currents and tides, the converter taps into the kinetic energy in moving water. Having already produced power in the North Sea using its prototype platform, the company is now preparing an extended test programme, while at the same time powering ahead with the development of a preproduction prototype device.

C2C managing director Brian Barnard said: “There appears to be a real appetite for tidal power right now, perhaps due to the predictability of this type of energy conversion.

“We believe C2C is well placed to become a market leader in the production of renewable electricity and ultimately reaching our goal in helping to bridge the predicted energy gap, whilst reducing the nation’s carbon emissions.”

Jim Watson, director of innovation and enterprise services at Scottish Enterprise, added: “It’s fantastic to see companies like C2C developing products that have the potential to generate significant revenue as part of their ambitious global growth plans. We wish them every success with this project.”