The 12 month project will cost £44,900, with half of the cash coming from the Cradle to Cradle Islands Northern Periphery Project, which seeks to help island communities develop a sustainable future. Shetland is already working on many renewable energy projects, including the 540MW Viking Energy wind farm, Burradale and associated inter-connector to the national grid. The potential for marine renewables to provide a further source of electricity has long been recognised.
 
The industry is in its infancy, but is attracting significant investment as the Scottish government looks to meet its target of generating 50% of the country’s power from renewables by 2020.
 
With Orkney already winning business at its European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), Shetland is hoping to be ready to make the most of the potential that all the islands hold for the industry as technologies advance and grid connections allow.
 
The development officer will be looking for  'best sites' for harnessing marine energy, and examining all the related issues, such as existing biodiversity, environmental designations, available infrastructure, grid availability and potential conflicts with other activities, such as fishing, aquaculture and leisure pursuits.
 
The project will be using the trail blazing Marine Spatial Plan developed at the NAFC Marine Centre to find the best way of integrating marine energy developments into the islands’ coastal waters. The intention is to use this information to promote Shetland as an attractive location, while ensuring that any developments are managed in a sustainable fashion without alienating local interests.
 
Neil Grant, Shetland Islands Council’s Head of Economic Development, said: “We have already been approached by several companies interested in working around Shetland. We anticipate that the crucial inter-connector will bring marine renewables to Shetland and we want to do everything we can to ensure this industry of the future is developed in the best way possible for these islands. There is the potential to create a lot of jobs, boost the local economy and create career opportunities, but it must be managed properly and we believe this development post will ensure that happens.”
 
Stuart Robertson, (right)  area manager, added: “HIE is committed to developing the marine energy sector to help the government meet its renewables targets, and we see an enormous potential for marine energy in Shetland.HIE’s involvement can ensure that work carried out here can be sympathetic to other projects we are working on, especially the EMEC project in Orkney.”
 
Professor David Gray, (left) director of NAFC Marine Centre, added: “Marine renewables could well be the first beneficiary of the valuable work done on creating Shetland’s marine spatial plan, one of just four pilot projects of its kind around Scotland. I am really excited about the NAFC Marine Centre running this project. It marks a new direction for the centre, which could well prove to be a crucial element in the future economy of these islands.”