Scottish Enterprise welcomes plans to establish UK Offshore Energy Technology Innovation Centre.
The UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB) today, 26 May 2011, confirmed plans to support the development of a Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) for the offshore energy industry.
Welcoming the news, Adrian Gillespie, Director of Energy and Low Carbon Technologies at Scottish Enterprise, said:
“We have a diverse and vibrant energy sector which offers significant economic opportunity based on our offshore potential. The development of a dedicated Offshore Energy TIC is excellent news which will undoubtedly further enhance our position as global energy powerhouse.
"With a distinguished history in developing breakthroughs in energy technology and more recently in the advancement of the offshore renewable sector, Scotland has the potential to make a central contribution to the development of a successful UK Offshore Energy TIC.
“Scottish Enterprise has worked closely with the TSB to develop the case for the proposed new TIC and will now continue to work with industry advisory groups and academic partners across Scotland to consider options for Scotland's potential role going forward.”
Scotland’s academic and industrial excellence is currently driving new offshore energy technologies that are expected to generate significant UK incomes in years to come, in particular:
Offshore renewables – power generated from wind, wave and tidal energy
Carbon capture and storage – taking CO2 captured from thermal power generation plants and storing it in depleted gas reservoirs or saline aquifers.
Energy storage - storing excess offshore renewable energy generated at times of low demand and using it at peak demand times, hence enabling a greater proportion of the available generation to be utilised.