An Inverness company has been granted a seabed lease for a marine-energy project off the Western Isles.
Voith Hydro Wavegen (VHW) was one of three firms granted such rights by the Crown Estate today.
The Crown Estate, which manages the waters around the UK, also said new areas in the Pentland Firth and near Orkney would now be open to applications for leases.
In addition, leases for wave and tidal test facilities, such as the European Marine Energy Centre, which provide infrastructure and services to technology development companies, can now be applied for through the leasing process.
The leases are part of the Saltire Prize project, which will see £10million awarded to the first successful wave or tidal-energy array. The latest three take the total number of sites leased around the UK to 36.
VHW has plans for a 10-turbine project, Siadar, off the Western Isles.
Also granted leases today were Welsh firm Tidal Energy and Sheffield-based Pulse Tidal for sites off St David’s Head in Pembrokeshire and Lynmouth, Devon, respectively.
Paul Catterall, wave and tidal development manager for the Crown Estate, said: “We are delighted to conclude negotiations on these new projects, which take the total number under development around the UK to 36.
“Interest in wave and tidal-energy is now evident across the whole of the UK, with the Northern Ireland tidal leasing round continuing to run in parallel with developments in Scotland, Wales and England.
“Updates to the leasing process should lead to further projects emerging, and we look forward to consulting the industry later this year on our future approach to leasing wave and tidal sites as we continue to help the industry grow.”