INDUSTRY body Scottish Renewables has warned that the wave and tidal power sectors face being squeezed out of the market because they are not winning enough contracts to sell their power.

Speaking at the organisation’s Marine Conference in Inverness yesterday, director of policy Jenny Hogan said that while the marine sector had invested hundreds of millions of pounds in the Scottish economy, it was losing out in competitive auctions to more mature renewable energy technologies.

“Scottish Renewables has been working hard to put the case to Whitehall to make provision for supporting a minimum amount of marine energy capacity in the upcoming Contracts for Difference auction round, due to be announced later this year,” she said.

“For smaller-scale, innovative technologies, looking to scale up from the lab or test centre, clarity of support is also crucial.”