Analysis: ‘Offshore wind power is the best chance of reaping the benefits industry has to offer’

By Johanna Yates
Published on Tuesday 22 November 2011 00:00

SCOTLAND is the natural home to offshore renewable energy, with our abundant natural resources and long heritage of maritime industry – principally oil and gas and fisheries.

The offshore wind sector in Scotland has been fortunate to have strong political backing, ensuring that we have the best chance of reaping the economic and social benefits this industry has to offer.

The Moray Project is likely to offer another key step in Scotland’s journey to becoming a global centre of excellence for the offshore wind sector.

Scotland’s potential is well known and in recent months we have welcomed the investment from significant international players, such as Doosan, Mitsubishi and Gamesa, all vying to establish their turbines in Scottish waters. We know future employment is promising, with up to 28,000 direct jobs being created by 2020, leading to an economic input of £7 billion.

Investors need to weigh up challenges, such as the deep water that surrounds Scotland’s coast. This is an additional engineering hurdle, but has been answered by Scottish expertise using oil and gas technology, as seen in the Beatrix demonstrator project – the world’s first deep-water turbines.

Scottish Renewables and the Scottish enterprise agencies are working hard to ensure that Scotland reaps the maximum benefits from this industry by ensuring full engagement with the indigenous supply chain at every level of development.

This will be the focus of the Scottish Offshore Wind Conference in Aberdeen in January to discuss supply-chain needs and work with the Departments of Energy and Climate Change taskforce to help offshore wind become increasingly more cost competitive.

• Johanna Yates is offshore policy manager for Scottish Renewables.

Comments

There are 10 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

10

tested

Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 12:18 PM

#5 Kinghob I think you are missing the blindingly obvious point that the SNP have given up on full indpendence and now favour a devo max option where they retain political power in Scotland. This latest attempt to turn Scotland into the UK's biggest windfarm (and help the UK meet its renewable targets)is a UK project which will supply UK jobs just like the oil industry does. Doesn't it seem strange that Westminster held back on investment on CC at Longannet but are happy to cover Scotland in windmills. Once the referendum returns the SNP's "alternative" to independence we may see CC back on the agenda. Btw before you start screaming unionist or traitor I've supported and campaigned for full independence for over 30 years and am not happy to accept the SNP's cop out.

• Report Unsuitable

9

sprog

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 05:05 PM

With recent developments making the prospects for tidal power look equally promising the future looks bright.

• Report Unsuitable

8

Stephen fae Scotland

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 04:46 PM

Scottish coastal waters are an excellent place for wind (as well as wave and tidal) resource exploitation. In fact the same is true for much of the British Isles, it's a happy coincidence of geography. It's not down to the Gnats! Although I am a fervent believer in the Union and not a Gnat supporter, I AM impressed that the Gnat emphasis on renewable energy has given confidence to investors - at a time when the earse is falling out of THT sector across Europe. Like it or hate it - the world filled with more renewables is coming. And I for one like the idea of Scots & British expertise in at least one such area., and offshore is an area we hale long mastered. Besides its never going to happen with Solar - no matter how much the Gnats think it shines out of the fatty Feers Meenister's earse!

• Report Unsuitable

7

Kon

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 12:04 PM

5 Kinghob, its not the Scots or Scottish Executive that are making this a reality its Westminster, energy is a reserved matter and all subsidy's are UK ones, Salmond is just taking credit for the work of the UK government.

• Report Unsuitable

6

Kon

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 12:02 PM

2 Gallowglass, ha, ha, ha, yet another crazy Scot who things the tiny area of Britain known as Scotland is the worlds windiest place, seriously retards its not and there ARE far larger and richer and windier countries that your little area of Britain.

• Report Unsuitable

5

Kinghob

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 10:10 AM

You are right mate.......it is terrible news for George Osbourne and Ed miliband and the other idiots who said that nobody will invest in Scotland while we make them eat their words as we get these announcements on massive investment! Funny that when all these companies and countries queue up to invest in Scotland the unionist no hopes such as yourself are now saying investment is bad.................jealousy eh?

• Report Unsuitable

4

unimpressedone

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 10:04 AM

So the Scotsman allows the cheerleader of this industry to give her 'unbiased' opinion about what is good for the Scottish power consumer. A few questions Ms Yates. How much will each job be subsidised by? How much will our bills go up to pay for this 'investment'?

• Report Unsuitable

3

Kinghob

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 10:03 AM

The unionists are up in arms because their friends in the labour and tory party have predicted doom and gloom as an Independence referendum is on the cards in Scotland.............and the world just keeps ignoring their jealous havering nonsense and continually investing in Scotland!

• Report Unsuitable

2

Gallowglass

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 12:43 AM

The world you idiot.

• Report Unsuitable

1

Kon

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 12:30 AM

SCOTLAND is the natural home to offshore renewable energy == in the whole wide world or just in the UK?

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.