Direct access to tidal energy could benefit Scottish coastal communities, report finds

A recent study led by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has shown that direct access to tidal energy could reduce the dependency of Scottish coastal communities on costly diesel and oil power by enabling cleaner, locally sourced energy without waiting for additional grid capacity.

The study, carried out on behalf of Crown Estate Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, reveals how these communities could tap into nearby tidal power resources. This approach would allow locally generated green energy to flow directly to users without requiring a connection to the national grid, potentially lowering costs and curbing emissions.

Further, the study shows the potential to convert tidal-derived electricity into green hydrogen, showing its capability to decarbonize industries and produce clean fuels for broader applications.

By addressing both energy access and sustainability, the report underscores the potential economic benefits of local tidal projects, from job creation to revenue generation via community-funded ventures, EMEC said.

“The report highlights the potential of tidal stream energy to drive net zero goals, bolster energy security, and promote green growth across the UK. Alternative offtake routes for tidal stream generation across Scotland could play an important role in enabling the sector’s development, given existing grid constraints,” noted EMEC’s Corporate Affairs Director, Eileen Linklater.

“To realise this potential, key recommendations focus on strategic planning around best use of resources adjacent to industries in need of decarbonisation, reducing risk for community scale projects, and increasing thresholds for consenting requirements to better support projects at different scales. These insights aim to inform future leasing design and identify practical approaches to resolving deliverability constraints.”

According to EMEC, the study assessed 30 tidal stream locations along Scotland’s coast, identifying 20 locations where the proximity to end users would support a direct energy supply. Among the examples is the Islay Project, where green hydrogen company Protium aims to decarbonize whisky distilleries by 2040.

Another example is the Pentland Firth, whose tidal energy could be used to create green hydrogen for synthetic fuel production on Orkney’s Flotta island. Additionally, the study suggests that tidal-generated electricity could replace diesel generators on Barra and Vatersay, supported by a battery storage system.

While this approach does not replace a national grid connection, it maximizes local energy resource use, noted EMEC. They also note the potential to repurpose oil and gas infrastructure for hydrogen and synthetic fuel production, leveraging the skills and expertise of Scotland’s oil and gas workforce.

The report arrives as the UK Marine Energy Council (MEC) aims to achieve 1 GW of tidal-derived electricity by 2035, with Scotland projected to contribute up to 700 MW from new projects. 

Carolyn MacPhee, Development Manager at Crown Estate Scotland, said: “Scotland has an enviable natural resource in the form of tidal power, which provides a consistent and predictable source of renewable energy. However, securing a connection to the national grid is an acknowledged obstacle to making full use of the tidal stream power available. This report sets out the opportunities to make greater use of our country’s natural power. In so doing it highlights the potential to provide clean energy within local communities, create jobs, and help reduce the costs of generating a range of energy types.”

In the UK’s Allocation Round 6 (AR6) for Contracts for Difference from September 2024, Scotland strengthened its position in tidal stream energy, securing contracts for four projects totaling 18 MW across multiple sites. With these new awards, Scotland’s total contracted tidal stream capacity has risen to 83 MW.

According to research by ORE Catapult and Imperial College London (ICL), tidal energy has the potential to provide 11.5 GW to the UK energy system, 11% of the UK’s electricity demand, and tidal stream projects could contribute up to £17 billion to the UK economy by 2050.