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A CALL has been made for a fresh approach by the UK Government to encourage tidal energy projects such as MeyGen in the Pentland Firth.

Otherwise they may not get beyond the prototype stage, according to Bill Mowat, Gills Harbour Ltd's director for marine renewables.

He backs the move by 90 MPs, including Jamie Stone, urging the UK energy minister Claire Perry to reform the way public money is allocated to such schemes.

They would prefer tax incentives rather than consumer-funded subsidies to help the industry.

Mr Mowat fears that without changes tidal stream energy could fail to get beyond the prototype stage, as happened in Caithness before with fast reactor technology at Dounreay.

"I agree 100 per cent with the MPs that a fresh approach to encouraging tidal stream technologies is necessary and the forthcoming Energy White Paper is the right place to start," he said.

One of the MeyGen turbines at Nigg Energy Park in September 2016, prior to installation in the Pentland Firth. Picture: Alan Hendry

"At present, the UK has the world lead in tidal stream know-how, but China, France and Canada are vying to topple us from this perch by offering early stage incentives that are not available here.

"That's why Simec Atlantis Energy [the company behind MeyGen] is investing so heavily in English Channel / La Manche waters off the Cherbourg area in Normandy, rather than here under the Inner Sound.

"I don't blame SAE's chief executive Tim Cornelius and his board at all. They are sensible to follow where the public money is, at this stage of the tidal turbines technology development."

Mr Mowat added: "As Gills Harbour Ltd's representative, I am attending Europe's biggest renewables conference and show in Glasgow, All-Energy 2019, and I know that many of the delegates share my views as I'm in regular touch with several of them.

"I will tell them that I'm a Caithnessian and that we have already seen one promising carbon-pollution-free technology here–fast reactors at Dounreay. That failed to get beyond the prototype stage and we don't want tidal to land in the same boat only a generation later."

Mr Mowat pointed out that the money available under the Contracts for Difference for renewable energy projects is just over 33 per cent of what it was in the last round in 2017.

"The massive Viking Energy SSE onshore wind project in Shetland and other much smaller ones in Orkney are in the mix this time around, thanks to the government concession to island-based onshore wind farms. In Caithness, as in other parts of Scotland, there is no longer any subsidy for on-land wind turbines.

"The Shetland case, with its power being exported via a subsea cable line ending at Noss Head, near Wick, was, however, an important factor in getting the High Voltage Direct Current line laid under the Moray Firth from Noss Head to Moray. This has also contributed to several major electricity grid substations in Caithness, at Dounreay, Spittal and Geise, near Thurso."

Mr Mowat said Gills harbour wants to provide a £3.5 million all-tide, all-weather inner basin at the port as the base for work boats involved in tidal stream activities in the Pentland Firth.

"The improved basin will also provide better working conditions for our fishermen members and also provide opportunities for water-sports and other tourism/leisure activities," he added.