Four new renewable energy projects in Scotland have been awarded funding worth £3.5 million in total.

Two of the projects are community initiatives: one will receive £735,000 to install a turbine in Islay, with the potential to power around 300 homes while the Fintry Development Trust – which aims to make a village in Stirlingshire a zero-carbon and zero-waste community – will get £615,000.

Inverness-based firm AWS Ocean Energy won £250,000 to support further development and testing of a wave energy device and another £700,000 will support the first phase of the 0.5MW Shetland Tidal Array, which started exporting power to the grid this week.

Scottish Enterprise is supporting the funding through its Renewable Energy Investment Fund (REIF).

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “This latest round of Scottish Enterprise funding underlines the Scottish Government’s commitment to Scotland’s growing renewables sector.

“Clean, green energy is creating opportunities for communities across Scotland and delivering jobs and investment.”

The REIF was launched in October 2012 and is delivered by the Scottish Investment Bank – the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise – on behalf of the Scottish Government and its Enterprise Agencies.