The funding will go to the Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA), a joint industry and government scheme,  which brings together nine developers accounting for almost three-quarters of the UK's licensed capacity.

Scotland will invest £200,000 in the OWA initiative in 2014-2015, with the remaining £2m given in 2015-16.  

The finance will encourage collaboration between the developers in order to address cost reduction in Scottish waters, said Holyrood.

It