A new £2 million test centre for marine energy is to be set up at the University of Dundee.

Called the Marine Renewables Test Centre, it will be a home for developing, designing and testing marine building materials and prototype foundations for offshore wind farms.

Scotland aims to meet 100% of its electricity use through renewable sources by 2020. Professor Rod Jones, who will head the new centre, said Scotland might be well placed to meet the target but “significant challenges” must be addressed.

He said: “Although considerable progress has been made in developing and manufacturing turbines, the main challenges now lie in the design, commissioning and deployment of key structural components such as concrete foundations for offshore wind farms.”

The project is backed by more than £800,000 of funding from the European Regional Development Fund.

Last year the university won a £250,000 grant for research into reducing the costs of wave energy generators and making them more efficient.