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7. RDD&D - Research, Development, Demonstration & Deployment
Key Investments
The Scottish Government, and the previous administration, have an impressive record of delivery in renewables innovation. Notable landmark investments, many involving partnership approaches across government, industry and academia include:
v Wave and Tidal Energy Support Scheme ( WATES) - £13 million capital and revenue grant
v Establishment of EMEC - £16 million investment
v Carbon Trust - £5.5 million sponsorship in 2009/10
v Beatrice Downvind Project - £3 million Government support
v Scottish European Green Energy Centre - Being established in 2009
v Energy Technology Partnership ( ETP) - £40-£50 million annual budget
v Saltire Prize - £10 million innovation prize for wave and tidal energy
Energy Technology Partnership ( ETP) - The ETP brings together applied energy researchers from the Scottish universities.
- The ETP is an alliance of strong, independent Scottish Universities, currently engaged in world class energy Research, Development and Demonstration ( RD&D).
- The ETP spends £40-50 million annually on low carbon energy research and development - from Scottish Funding Council, UK and EU grants.
- The ETP has a strong track record in the delivery of RD&D excellence and is actively engaged in numerous UK and international partnerships.
- The ETP also has well developed links with industry and a wide range of ongoing collaborations.
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The Saltire Prize - In 2008, the Scottish Government announced one of the largest innovation prizes in history, to focus leading minds on the production of clean, green wave and tidal energy.
- The £10 million Saltire Prize aims to deliver a step change in the commercial deployment of wave and tidal energy, and will be awarded to the team that best achieves the Saltire Grand Challenge.
- With a marine resource which is unparalleled in Europe, home to the European Marine Energy Centre for testing, birthplace of Pelamis - the world's first wave energy device - and with a dynamic company base in the sector, Scotland is uniquely placed at the forefront of this technology.
- The Saltire Prize has helped to confirm this world-wide leadership position.
- As the X Prize Foundation shows, not only can an innovation prize drive 10-40 fold the amount of the prize purse spent cumulatively by the competing teams, it can also change what people believe is possible - the potential for innovation and scientific breakthrough is enormous.
- Full details are available on www.saltireprize.com
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R&D Grant Support
In addition to support for key energy investments highlighted above, the Scottish Government is firmly committed to fostering and supporting innovation and bringing new concepts through from the laboratory to commercial reality. A number of support mechanisms are available to support this activity, including:
- Proof of Concept Programme - Fund to support pre-commercial research in Scotland's Universities and Research Institutes.
- SMART:SCOTLAND - R&D support to SMEs undertaking leading edge technology projects - individual project support available up to £600k.
- Scottish Enterprise R&D scheme - R&D support available to companies of any size in Scotland.
Proof of Concept Project - Efficient hydrogen generation for transmission and storage of renewable energy - If Scotland's renewable energy is to be harnessed and distributed to major areas of population such as South East England, then extremely expensive cables and related infrastructure need to be provided or alternative distribution mechanisms sought.
- St Andrews University has secured funding through Proof of Concept to develop an alternative strategy for the distribution of electrical energy from renewable resources in remote locations. This strategy will convert the energy into a chemical fuel that can be transported to where it is needed for electrical generation or transport applications. It will produce high value hydrogen through renewable resources.
- Scotland has excellent resources for wind and wave generation of renewable electricity, having more than 25% of Europe's wind and wave energy resource. There is one major limitation for such renewable power; electricity is often generated in remote areas where it is least needed.
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SMART:SCOTLAND Case Study - Subsea Energy Ltd - Subsea Energy (Scotland) Ltd of Tayport, Fife secured a SMART Award in £70,000 in 2009 to take forward its novel "RiverFish Power Generation Device".
- This feasibility study is to develop a prototype river flow turbine system that harnesses the power exploitable from fast-flowing rivers and uses it to generate electricity.
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Scotland's Renewable Energy Test and Demonstration Facilities
This map and further details are contained within our November 2008 "Renewable Energy Framework" http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/11/05115324/12)
Future Actions
RDD&D support and funding involves a network of organisations across Scotland, the wider UK, Europe, and beyond, with partner organisations including the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the UK Government, the Carbon Trust, and the Energy Technology Partnership.
With the integration of another body, the Energy Intermediary Technology Institute ( ITI) within Scottish Enterprise, and the establishment of the Scottish European Green Energy Centre, the time is right for a focussed review of the innovation and R&D landscape in Scotland, including the funding streams available.
Future Actions: The Scottish Government is commissioning a project:
- to profile / map Scottish funding for energy RDD&D across the range of relevant organisations;
- to include in scope 'low carbon' energy technologies (renewables, Carbon Capture and Storage and Energy Efficiency), and where relevant, the oil and gas sectors;
- to create a database / portal / interface where this information can be made available to external bodies, and create a mechanism for updating it;
- to undertake a critical analysis / benchmarking of spend against industry need, and produce recommendations for Ministers regarding future funding and structures.
The reporting timescale for this work will be in Q4 2009.
A review of this kind has already been undertaken for the marine energy sector under the industry-led Marine Energy Group. Recommendations will be contained within the Scottish Marine Road Map, due to publish in July 09.
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