An innovative two-bladed wind turbine that could almost halve the cost of generating renewable energy might be tested in Scotland.

First Minister Alex Salmond has hailed Dutch firm 2-B Energy's new turbine as an "important development for Scotland's burgeoning offshore renewables industry".

Scottish Enterprise said the turbine, which requires fewer components and could be around 45% cheaper than the conventional three-blade design, is "potentially game-changing".

Aberdeen-based development company the Scottish European Green Energy Centre (SEGEC) has supported 2-B's application for European funding to build and test the turbine at Scottish Enterprise's energy park in Methil, Fife.

Mr Salmond said: "This strategic agreement with our enterprise agency is another important development for Scotland's burgeoning offshore renewables industry which is bringing jobs and investment to communities across the country.

"2-B Energy's decision to develop its technology here underlines the increasing international recognition that Scotland offers the optimum business and natural environment for clean-tech developers to pursue their ambitions."

Mikael Jakobsson, chief operating officer for 2-B Energy, said: "We have reached an exciting point in the development of our company and technology and we could envision that this partnership and the support from SEGEC will help open up further opportunities for growth options of our business in Scotland."

Adrian Gillespie, director of energy and low carbon technologies at Scottish Enterprise, said: "2-B's exciting approach has the potential to play an important part in Scotland's future renewables wind development and create a possible step-change in future reduction of power generation cost."

Meanwhile, Richard Dixon, director of environment group WWF Scotland, said the announcement the new turbine could be tested in Scotland is "another vote of confidence" in the country's renewable energy sector.

He said: "With our offshore engineering skills, our huge wind and wave power resources and strong renewables targets, Scotland has a bright future in clean, green energy."