More than �2m has been pledged by the UK Government towards developing electricity from wave power in the Western Isles.

An Inverness-based firm plans to site three wave generators off the west coast of Lewis.

However, the government said any funding for the project would be conditional on the developers meeting certain technical requirements.

Brian Wilson: "A major contribution"

Wavegen already successfully operates the world's first and only commercial wave power plant on Islay in Argyll.

The company's plans for the Western Isles are more ambitious.

The proposals would generate significantly more electricity for the national grid because of the wave strength available to the machines off Lewis.

Energy Minister Brian Wilson said the government was prepared to give �2.3m towards the cost of the development provided it met certain conditions.

"Wavegen have submitted a very exciting proposal for DTI funding and I am convinced it can make a major contribution to the development of this new industry," he said.

"Our assessors are still pursuing a number of technical questions with Wavegen but it is clear that there is sufficient merit in the project for me to announce the department's intention in principle to back it.

Mothballed yard

"A formal letter of commitment will follow when issues relating to the sequential development of the three devices and other outstanding points have been resolved. I hope this can be done very quickly."

It is hoped that construction of the wave machines will take place in Lewis, bringing jobs to the mothballed Arnish oil fabrication yard.

"Arnish is an ideal facility for renewables-related manufacturing and I am confident that it will soon be playing a major role in supporting the huge expansion of renewable energy, both wind and wave, in Scotland and beyond," said the minister.

However, a Wavegen spokesman said that would only be decided following a tendering process.