The Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism (left) visited Strathclyde's Hydrodynamics Laboratory, where groundbreaking technology innovated by wave power company, Green Ocean Energy, is being tested. He saw first hand the impact the new device could have on significantly increasing renewable energy generation.

The company has designed and developed two wave power devices. The first, called Wave Treader, is designed to attach to the base of an offshore wind turbine to provide combined wind and wave power. The second, Ocean Treader, is a fully floating device which will be deployed in offshore wave farms.

In attendance was Dr Sandy Day, Senior Lecturer at the University's Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and Manager of the Hydrodynamics Laboratory, which is the largest such resource at a European university.

He said: "Scotland has huge potential resources of wave and tidal energy, and Scottish companies and universities are leading the way in the development of marine renewable energy devices.

"Industrial relevance is a defining characteristic of the University and we are delighted to be able to support companies like Green Ocean Energy in testing new and exciting technologies, which will play a key role in helping Scotland and the UK meet their ambitious energy targets."

Mr Mather was given a demonstration of how the wave power generator intelligently turns to face into the oncoming wave train, and then converts that movement into electricity.

He said: "The Wave Treader is a ground breaking device, the first of its kind to combine wave and offshore wind in one installation. It has tremendous potential to use existing offshore infrastructure to generate clean, green energy from the sea and is a further example of the innovation and investment in marine renewables across Scotland."

George Smith, Managing Director of Green Ocean Energy, said: "We're delighted by the interest Mr Mather has shown in our technology and look forward to discussing it with him in more detail.

"Scotland has the expertise and experience to be a world leader in the renewable energy sector and we welcome Mr Mather's support in developing this important industry."