A report from the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, in collaboration with Crown Estate Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, concluded that coastal communities in Scotland could connect directly to tidal power projects. This would allow for the supply of locally generated green energy to users without relying on a connection to the national grid. 

According to the report, tidal energy has significant potential to address the energy challenges faced by coastal communities in Scotland. A more creative approach to utilizing locally generated tidal energy could help businesses and households on the Scottish coast to rely less on expensive and polluting energy sources such as oil and diesel, eliminating the need to wait for increased grid capacity. 

The study also explores the conversion of tidal-derived electricity into green hydrogen, identifying important opportunities for the decarbonization of industries and the production of clean fuels. 

The document highlights that the energy resilience of remote areas could be improved by reducing dependence on diesel and oil, which are often transported over long distances. It also notes the economic potential of local tidal energy projects to employ more people and generate income through community-funded initiatives. 

The study examined 30 tidal stream sites along the coast of Scotland, of which 20 were identified as sufficiently close to potential end users. Additionally, several viable exit routes were considered, including the Islay Project, where the green hydrogen company Protium is assisting whisky distilleries in becoming carbon neutral by 2040; utilizing the tidal energy potential of the Pentland Firth to produce green hydrogen intended for developing synthetic fuels on Flotta Island in Orkney; and replacing diesel generators in Barra and Vatersay with a battery storage system to utilize electricity generated by the tides. 

The authors point out that access to tidal-derived energy in this way does not replace the connection to the national grid but represents an additional means of maximizing the use of such energy resources. They also emphasize the opportunity to repurpose inherited oil and gas assets for use in producing new hydrogen and synthetic fuel, as well as leveraging the skills of individuals experienced in the oil and gas sector. 

This report is presented in the context of the UK Marine Energy Council's goal to generate 1 GW of electricity from tidal sources by 2035, with 700 MW identified as coming from projects in Scotland. 

Carolyn MacPhee, development director at Crown Estate Scotland, stated that “Scotland has an enviable natural resource in the form of tidal energy, which provides a constant and predictable source of renewable energy. However, ensuring a connection to the national grid is a recognized barrier to fully harnessing the available tidal energy.” 

Meanwhile, Eileen Linklater, corporate affairs director at EMEC, added that “the report highlights the potential of tidal stream energy to drive net zero goals, enhance energy security, and promote green growth across the UK. Alternative extraction routes for tidal stream generation in Scotland could play an important role in enabling the sector’s development, given the existing limitations of the electrical grid.

To capitalize on this potential, key recommendations focus on strategic planning around the best use of resources adjacent to industries that need decarbonization, reducing risk for community-scale projects, and raising thresholds for consent requirements, thereby better supporting projects at different scales. This knowledge aims to inform the design of future leases and identify practical approaches to address delivery capacity constraints.”